4th-Grade Trips to The Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson!
Our young historians had an incredible week exploring the legendary Hinchliffe Stadium right here in Paterson on February 4th,5th, and 6th! This trip served as a powerful kickoff for our Black History Month projects, moving beyond textbooks to walk the same grounds where civil rights and sports history collided. We explored the stadium’s remarkable $100 million restoration and visited the Charles J. Muth Museum, where students analyzed the legacy of this “National Treasure”—one of only two major Negro League stadiums still standing in the U.S.
The highlight for many was learning about our very own Larry Doby, the Paterson Eastside High School standout who made history at Hinchliffe before becoming the first African American to integrate the American League in 1947. We discussed how the stadium served as a home for teams like the New York Black Yankees and New York Cubans during an era of segregation, standing as a beacon of “Paterson Pride” and resilience. Seeing the stadium revitalized as a home for the NJ Jackals and our own local high school teams helped the students see that history isn’t just in the past—it’s a living part of our community.
