Discrimination barred African-American athletes from white teams, and professional leagues for African-Americans were virtually nonexistent in the early part of the 20th century. It was therefore necessary for African-Americans to organize their own sports clubs. Baseball and basketball were two popular "All-American" sports that barred African-American athletes.

The New York Renaissance Basketball Team was founded by Robert Douglas in 1923. Douglas was an entrepreneur who had moved to Harlem in 1900. He actually decided to start the team in 1921, and named the team after the Renaissance Ballroom, where they played their games. Their first professional game, on November 30, 1923, was a victory over the Collegiate Big Five, 28-22. The Rens flourished in the 1920's and particularly the 1930's, when they became known as the world's best team. From 1932-1936 their record was 473-49, with an 88 game winning streak. They played many white teams and developed rivalries through unofficial exhibition games. John Wooden, the legendary coach at UCLA, played the Rens in 1936. He said they were "the best team I ever saw." The Rens ended their team history with a record of 2,318 wins and 381 losses.

Opportunity was the literary organ of the National Urban League. Countee Cullen won second prize in the Opportunity literary contest in 1925, and became the assistant editor for the magazine in 1926, under Charles S. Johnson. Other Opportunity prize winners included Zora Neale Hurston, who also won second place awards in 1925 for her story "Spunk" and a play, "Color Struck."