Honoring Black Leaders: NYC Parks That Celebrate Sports, Fitness, and Play Heroes
Learn about New York City’s recreational spaces named after Black leaders in sports, fitness, and play.
Like Asphalt Green, New York City’s many parks and playgrounds help New Yorkers come together and live healthier lives. Many of our city’s parks are also named after historic leaders who recognized the importance of community service and made a lasting impact in New York City and beyond.
For Black History Month, we’re highlighting three Black sports, fitness, and play leaders whose names are attached to parks across the city, honoring their legacies.
Roberto Clemente State Park
301 W Tremont Ave, Bronx, NY 10453
Roberto Clemente, an Afro Latino man from Puerto Rico, was one of the greatest baseball players of all time. During his professional career, he earned numerous accolades, including twelve All-Star selections and eleven Gold Gloves, and was the first player from the Caribbean to be inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. Beyond his athletic achievements, Clemente was also a humanitarian who dedicated himself to helping others. He frequently organized baseball clinics for underprivileged youth, providing them with equipment and guidance to nurture their passion for the sport. Clemente believed in the power of sports to uplift communities and often used his platform to advocate for greater access to recreation and athletic opportunities for children in need.
Clemente’s legacy lives on at Roberto Clemente State Park in the Bronx, a 25-acre waterfront park that offers a wide range of recreational activities. Today, Asphalt Green is proud to host free and low-cost Community Sports Leagues at the park and help continue Clemente’s efforts to make sports accessible to all.
Frederick Johnson Playground
Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. &, W 151st St, New York, NY 10039
A Harlem native, Frederick Johnson was an inspiring tennis coach and mentor who broke barriers as a Black American and someone living with a physical disability. Despite playing at a time when professional tennis was still segregated, he became a three-time ATA senior men’s singles champion — all while playing with only one arm, due to paralysis from an accident in his youth. Johnson later served as the head professional coach at Harlem’s Cosmopolitan Tennis Club, where he met his most famous protégé, Althea Gibson, who broke racial barriers as the first Black tennis player to compete at the U.S. National Championships (now the U.S. Open). Johnson dedicated his life to growing the game of tennis in his community, teaching countless students on the courts where his name is now honored. His legacy of mentorship and opportunity continues to inspire young athletes today, including at the Frederick Johnson Playground in upper Manhattan, which includes Handball and Tennis courts.
Almira Kennedy Coursey Amphitheatre at Herbert Von King Park
670 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11216
Almira Kennedy Coursey was a dedicated community activist and organizer in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. She is most renowned for her efforts in championing the renovation and redevelopment of Herbert Von King Park, which was originally called Tompkins Park. Through her advocacy, she helped secure the construction of the Kosciuszko Pool, along with significant upgrades to the park’s facilities, including the addition of an auditorium, cultural arts center, and Little League fields. She spent her entire life working to expand access to health, wellness, and education programs for the people of Brooklyn.
Bringing Sports, Fitness, and Play to All
Roberto Clemente, Fredrick Jonhson, and Almira Kennedy have all helped expand access to sports, fitness, and play, transforming the lives of countless New Yorkers in the process. Their namesake parks serve as reminders of how they viewed public recreation as vital community resources.
This Black History Month, we celebrate their profound impact on New York City and take great inspiration from their leadership as we work to advance our mission to bring sports, fitness, and play to all.
Learn about our vision to build a world where everyone can experience the transformative benefits of an active and healthy lifestyle.
