The St. Christopher Club, which had arguably the most successful non-professional basketball team of the Black Fives Era, got its start in 1896 as a bible study group to help keep young African American males off the seedy streets of what is now midtown Manhattan.

The St. Christopher Club basketball team featured a young Paul Robeson and was known as the "Red and Black Machine" or simply as the "St. C's." For more information about their history and players please click HERE.