Baseball, African American Baseball League, sports history, 521 All Stars Traveling Exhibit
Museum News

New Exhibition, The 521 All-Stars: A Championship Story of Baseball and Community

Featuring 40 photographs exploring the story of a Black baseball team from Rembert, S.C. and their fans.

Baseball, African American Baseball League, sports history, 521 All Stars Traveling Exhibit

Baseball season has returned and the South Carolina State Museum is inviting fans to explore the exhibition, The 521 All-Stars: A Championship Story of Baseball and Community.  It is the perfect time for guests to explore this special photography display about a Black baseball team from Rembert, SC and the community who supported them.  

Based on the 1998 book by Frye Gaillard with photographs by Byron Baldwin, the exhibition highlights the story of the 521 All-Stars team of Rembert, SC, a Black baseball team with roots going back to the 1920s.  Named for Hwy 521, which runs past their baseball field, the 521 All-Stars play for the love of the game and the pride and solidarity it brings. Featuring more than 40 framed black and white photographs taken during the team’s 1996-1997 season, 521 All-Stars depicts baseball in its purest form:  scrap metal bases, rotten wood bleachers, teams made up of brothers, fathers, sons and, most importantly, fellowship within the community. 

“This exhibition encapsulates not just the story of the 521 All-Stars, but of comradery and community, of stories and memories that bring people together. I think that is powerfully beautiful,” says Timia Thompson, Collections Outreach Manager. 

A popular offering in the State Museum’s Traveling Exhibitions Program (TEP), 521 All-Stars is usually ‘on the road’ for display at other institutions and museums. Guests have a special opportunity to see the exhibition at the State Museum for a limited time before it travels again to reach more people across the state. The TEP provides high quality exhibitions for institutions of any size, from large exhibitions designed for major museums to smaller, South Carolina-specific exhibits for local museums, galleries, libraries, schools and more. Find more information on this program at scmuseum.org. 

The 521 All-Stars: A Championship Story of Baseball and Community entrance is free with museum membership or general admission. General admission to the South Carolina State Museum is $8.95 for adults; $7.95 for Seniors; $6.95 for children; infants 2 and under are free.