Lasana D. Kazembe. Photo by Brayden Bridgeman, Indiana University Lasana D. Kazembe, associate professor of urban teacher education in the IU School of Education in Indianapolis, has been awarded an Emmy by the Central Great Lakes Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

The award is for Kazembe’s contribution to a 2023 short film project honoring Negro Leagues Heritage Week that was produced by Adam Pintar, creative director and photographer for the Indianapolis Indians.

The film project “Salute to the Negro Leagues” is a mash-up of vintage images and footage of Negro Leagues teams, a montage of current Indianapolis Indians players, and an original poem written and recited by Kazembe. 

Indianapolis was home to two Negro Leagues professional teams, the Indianapolis ABCs and the Indianapolis Clowns. The ABCs were founded as an independent team in 1907 before joining the Negro National League in 1920. The Clowns, a baseball version of the Harlem Globetrotters, were a Negro American League baseball team and the longest playing Black professional team in U.S. history.

That rich history sat at the center of Pintar’s vision when he contacted Kazembe to commission an original poem for the project. Kazembe said the Emmy win is especially important because it brings much-needed attention and acknowledgement to a too-long-neglected aspect of American history.