Help Build the Art Pennington Baseball & Civil Rights Museum!
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The Art Pennington Foundation is proud to announce our campaign to raise $300,000 to purchase and renovate the historic home of Art "Superman" Pennington at 922 5th Street in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. This property will be the future site of the Art Pennington Baseball & Civil Rights Museum, dedicated to celebrating the life and legacy of this extraordinary man.
Who was
Art Pennington?
Art Pennington (1923-2017) was a legendary baseball player whose achievements transcended the diamond. A Negro League All-Star, he also played professionally in Mexico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Canada, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico, leaving his mark on the international game.
But Art's impact extended far beyond baseball. He was a champion for civil rights who defied segregation by playing against white major leaguers in exhibition games and alongside them in Latin American winter leagues. He and his wife Anita defied societal norms with their interracial marriage, illegal at the time in the United States. Art also opened the Home Run Club in Cedar Rapids, a private, mixed-race establishment that broke racial barriers in the community.
The Art Pennington Baseball & Civil Rights Museum
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This museum will be more than a tribute to a baseball hero. It will be a space that educates and inspires future generations. Visitors will learn about Art's remarkable baseball career, his fight for civil rights, and his enduring influence on Cedar Rapids. The museum will foster a deeper understanding of civil rights history and the rich diversity of baseball's past.