20th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest The American Experience
The cage

In Manhattan (NYC), the West Fourth Street courts are known as “the cage”. On the asphalt, ballers exhibit a distinct style and dazzling skills, commonly referred to as “streetball” and inextricably linked to Black people in America. The reflection of the fence on the body of this young African American player comes as a reminder of how streetball emerged in response to historical marginalization and the continuous racialized spatial relations in the U.S.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 07.2020
Date Uploaded: 11.2022
Photo Location: New York City, New York, United States of America
Copyright: © louis charpentier