Historic Moments: Black Unity tournaments

Daaim Shabazz July 1, 2001

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Maurice Ashley and William Morrison. . . the #1 and #2 'Black Bears'. Copyright © 1992, Jerome Bibuld.

Maurice Ashley – William Morrison
Black Bear Challenge

The Black Bear Chess School is a chess club having produced some of the strongest Black chess Masters in its history. In the famous Black Bear tradition, players jockeyed for position in the club. In order to move up, one player had to challenge the player immediately above him. Thus, being the #1 and #2 players in the Black Bear Chess School, Maurice Ashley and William Morrison played a series of 30-game blitz matches. This picture above took place at Willie “Pop” Johnson’s house.

4th African-American Unity tournament

Nathan Jackson – NM Mark Meeres

1st Murphy – APC International, 1994

NM Deon Solomons- IM Maurice Ashley

2001 Jamaican Youth vs. Seniors match

Jamaican Youth Team after beating the Jamaican Senior Team 6½-5½!! (L-R) Equitable Brown, NM Duane Rowe, NM Jomo Pitterson, Alain Morais, O’Neil Myers, and NM Warren Elliott. Copyright © 2001, Jamaican Ambassadors Academy.

Jamaican Youth Team win 6½-5½!! (L-R) Equitable Brown (2000 National Jr. Champion), NM Duane Rowe, NM Jomo Pitterson (2000 National Blitz Champion), Alain Morais, O’Neil Myers, and NM Warren Elliott (2000 & 2001 National Champion)

2000 Jamaican Blitz Championship

NM Jomo Pitterson vs. NM Shane Matthews

2001 Georgia State Championship (Atlanta)

Participants of Georgia State Championship. (L-R) Damon Baldwin, NM Terrance DePeaza, Leonard Dickerson, FM Stephen Muhammad, Sulaiman Smith, Daaim Shabazz, and NM Elvin Wilson. Copyright © 2001, Frank Johnson.

(L-R) Damon Baldwin, NM Terrance DePeaza, Leonard Dickerson, FM Stephen Muhammad, Sulaiman Smith, Daaim Shabazz, NM Elvin Wilson

2001 National Open (Las Vegas)

The BFOC of the Midwest (L-R)
FM Emory Tate, Sam Ford, Billy Turner, Frank Johnson,
and Daaim Shabazz.

2001 World Open in Philadelphia

Kneeling (L-R) FM William Morrison, NM David Allen, Sr., Daaim Shabazz, David Allen, Jr., Sulaiman Smith. Standing (L-R): NM Charles Covington, NM Frank Street, FM Emory Tate, GM Maurice Ashley, Jones Murphy, Jr., FM Kenny Solomon, NM Grace Nsubuga, NM Ernest “Steve” Colding, 2001 World Open in Philadelphia. Copyright © 2001, Frank Johnson.

2001 World Open (Philadelphia). Kneeling (L-R) FM William Morrison, NM David Allen, Sr., Daaim Shabazz, David Allen, Jr., Sulaiman Smith. Standing (L-R): NM Charles Covington, NM Frank Street, FM Emory Tate, GM Maurice Ashley, Jones Murphy, Jr., FM Kenny Solomon, NM Grace Nsubuga, NM Ernest “Steve” Colding