Tell it like it is

We thought we were going to Politics and Prose in D.C. for a talk and signing of our book, Shattering the Glass.

We did, but that’s burying the lead.

The important thing is, we told a myriad of stories about women fighting for the opportunity to play basketball, a pursuit sometimes constrained or simply squashed by the larger culture over the game’s history. As Bell Hooks said, “People resist by … telling their story.”

We tell those stories — with hopes that the current upward loop in women’s basketball remains, but it’s never guaranteed, as our book shows. There is one unwavering truth: since the invention of basketball in the Victorian era, women have loved to play.

We honor the fervent fans and history lovers who braved the wind and downpour on March 20 to hear us spin and recount stories at P and P’s Union Market. We enjoyed fielding questions and signing copies of our newly released edition.

Afterward, with the rain at bay, folks ventured to La Cosecha, a nearby Latin restaurant market, and to other destinations. No doubt if the Mamam bakery had been open at that hour, it would have pulled people in. We availed ourselves of Mamam as the superb French eatery it is on two occasions during our brief stay.

Before leaving D.C., we also experienced first hand how sports stories are told not just through books and talks but through carefully crafted displays of memorabilia, images and brief explanations. We enjoyed meeting with sports curator Damion Thomas and assistant Melanie Taylor at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Melanie then gave us a tour of the sports exhibit. It was impressive – just like the rest of the museum. Thank you, Damion and Melanie, for taking the time and interest to host us.

Especially thrilling for us was seeing the USA uniform of Lusia Harris, who starred in the 1976 Olympics — the first time women’s basketball was played in the competition. Now that’s a story worth telling.