25 Years on the Chess Beat

Editor's note: For Black History Month, US Chess invited Dr. Daaim Shabazz to write a reflection on Black chess history as a complement to our player and coach profiles published earlier this month. As it was The Chess Drum's 25th anniversary on February 12, Dr. Shabazz shares a bit of personal history, as well, going into the origin of The Chess Drum as well as exploring the past, present, and future of Black chess in the U.S. A longer version of this piece is available on The Chess Drum.

As we approach the end of Black History Month, something important in chess happened 25 years ago. At midnight on February 12, 2001, The Chess Drum website went live. The website started with eight pages and would be yet another platform to extol the beauty of chess.

The author (on the right) playing blitz on the streets of Havana, Cuba

However, this site was dedicated to highlighting chess players across the African Diaspora, a segment that is often overlooked.. Originally designed to be a quarterly magazine, the idea of creating a digital platform became more practical as websites became key portals for chess news and content in the late-90s. The name is symbolic of an African communicative vehicle.

As a scholastic player, I was a voracious reader of Chess Life and scoured the pages for the latest theoretical games from top players. I also took a keen interest in photography and kept an eye on the up-and-coming players. However, I noticed a lack of diversity in the players represented. There were occasional cameo appearances, but it was difficult to know whether chess was finding inroads in the Black community. It was only later that I found more examples of Black chess excellence.

Members of the Paragon Chess Club of Washington, DC, featured in the July 1950 issue of Chess Life

As a scholastic player, I attended Chicago Vocational High School on the city’s southside. The school had 4000-5000 students and over 100 players in its chess club. We won the city championship in my senior year and were a traditional powerhouse. After winning the Illinois Junior Championship (under-21), I continued to improve. However, I found it strange that just a few years later, I remained the only active player from my high school club. When a master-level player in Chicago asked me about the low number of Black masters, it raised another question. Why did so few Black players seek higher heights in chess? I went looking for answers.

The Beat Begins!

There were many ideas about what could give the African Diaspora greater visibility. Some players even considered establishing a separate federation. My goal was to make the African Diaspora a more integral part of the global chess community. I wanted to educate the chess world about the African Diaspora while educating the African Diaspora about the chess world.

After discussing ideas with many U.S. Chess officials and others who would lend me an ear, I decided to write a marketing plan for an international chess network for the African Diaspora. The following summer, I interned at Sports Illustrated in New York and got a closer look at the magazine formation process. I frequented the iconic Washington Square Park, interacted with famous chess hustlers, and reveled in the exciting scene. I also shared my ideas with a young Maurice Ashley, whom I met at the 1989 U.S. Open in Chicago.

Maurice Ashley analyzing R.O. Mitchell’s game (with his seated opponent) at the 1989 U.S. Open in Chicago. R.O. Mitchell won the U.S. Junior Open in 1990. Kimani Stancil, Maryland’s Denker representative, looks on. Copyright © 1989, Daaim Shabazz.

During my time in New York, I also met Jerry Bibuld, with whom I had previously exchanged letters. Jerry was a long-time advocate of documenting Black chess players worldwide. His early contributions of photos helped fill the void of Black masters in chess media.

Jerry, Maurice, and I traveled to the 1990 World Open at the old Adams Mark in Philadelphia to watch the action. I hawked my marketing plan and discussed it with several players, including the legendary Philadelphia master, Wilbert Paige. At the end of an eventful day, Maurice told me never to forget about July 3rd, 1990. I didn’t.

Ten years after meeting Ashley, he became the first African-American Grandmaster and graced the cover of the May 1999 Chess Life. As I retrieved the magazine from the mailbox, I looked at his photo on the cover for several minutes. It was yet another sign to dust off the marketing plan I had written ten years earlier. In 2001, the marketing plan for a Black chess platform came into fruition as I launched a rather crude but novel website. The chess beat had begun!

Missing Media

There is a reason that it becomes necessary to highlight this overlooked demographic segment. First, it shows the universal appeal of chess. This may be attractive to corporate sponsors wanting to reach a wider audience. Second, it taps a potential market of new players. Lastly, it allows young minds to develop and perhaps use chess as an academic platform. On The Chess Drum, there is an important article titled, “Former African-American standouts reap benefits of chess.” It profiles six players who have all used chess as a gateway to success, academically and professionally.

Chess is not a desired professional pursuit in the Black community, but the passion is ever-present. Some of my earliest stories were on Jamaican chess, Zambian star Amon Simutowe, and the impassioned impresario, Emory Tate!!! In 2017, I released a book titled, Triple Exclam: The Life and Games of Emory Tate, Chess Warrior. Emory was not merely a chess player, but a chess artist. His creative ideas and ability to generate attacking chess made him a fan favorite.

During this journey, I have uncovered many novel stories. In fact, one of the most important figures covered at The Chess Drum was that of Baraka Shabazz (no relation). She was one of the first media sensations during the early 80s, but her rapid rise was followed by a precipitous fall only a few years after competing in the 1981 Women's Chess Championship.

The Baraka Shabazz story showed the overwhelming effects of media exposure on a young star. Unable to meet her parents’ high expectations, she quit chess and wanted nothing more to do with the game. One of the saddest stories in chess and a lesson we should heed.

In 1950, Chess Life Editor Montgomery Major proudly stated that "in many enlightened communities, no barrier has been placed to bar any group because of race or creed or color." He also mentioned that there were "Negros" competing in the U.S. Junior and U.S. Open. However, there were few visual images of Black players appearing in Chess Life. That would begin to change during the turbulent 60s. Walter Harris, who became the first Black national master in 1960, graced the cover of March 1964 Chess Life, followed by Kenneth Clayton (June 1963) and Frank Street (June 1965).

There was also the rise of young Leroy Jackson (Muhammad), who had a spectacular run in the 1960s. Vaux Junior High School of Philadelphia won eight national championships (seven consecutive) and also made the cover in 1977.

The Theophilus Thompson Mystery

In the month of February, we are encouraged to reflect on the accomplishments of the African Diaspora. In the 20th century, we found that many historical treasures were overlooked because of the low status Black people held in society. There were many inventions credited to Black pioneers from the slave era who sought to be more efficient in their duties.

In 1926, Dr. Carter G. Woodson created "Negro History Week" to highlight the contributions and accomplishments of people of African descent. The tradition has evolved into "Black History Month," and it remains a tradition in the Black community. If not for these types of traditions, perhaps there would not be the type of examples to inspire future generations.

One of the most prominent figures covered on The Chess Drum was Theophilus Thompson, a problemist from Frederick, Maryland. Born in 1855, he learned chess at age 17 after watching an off-hand game. He remembered the moves, borrowed a chess book and set, and a year later, he composed a problem book. He would disappear from the scene, and for decades, no one knew what had happened.

Even a tribute by Larry Parr in the June 1986 Chess Life considered his disappearance a mystery. In 2019, I received an e-mail from a member of the African American Resources, Cultural Heritage Society of Frederick County (AARCH) who sent an obituary from the Frederick Examiner. It showed that Thompson had died in 1881 of tuberculosis, known then as “consumption,” at age 26.

Black Mates in Ten (With Rook) Philadelphia Times, April 8, 1883

The Universality of Chess

What has been my proudest moment in these 25 years? It occurred only during the site's first year. It was the Wilbert Paige Chess Memorial, a tournament featuring several of the strongest players in the African Diaspora. The field was led by a 19-year-old Zambian IM Amon Simutowe and strengthened by Canada's IM Michael Schleifer and South Africa's IM Watu Kobese. Hosted by Harlem Educational Activity Fund (HEAF), Maurice Ashley was the host and commentator, Jones Murphy Jr., the sponsor, and Jerry Bibuld was the organizer and arbiter.

Photo by Daaim Shabazz.

Seated (L-R): IM Amon Simutowe, NM Grace Nsubuga, GM Maurice Ashley (commentator), FM Ronald Simpson, IM Michael Schleifer, FM Stephen Muhammad. Standing (L-R): NM Jerald Times (commentator), NM Ernest Colding, IM Watu Kobese, FM William Morrison, FM Kenny Solomon, NM Norman Rogers, NM Elvin Wilson (commentator). In this photo, both Simutowe (2008) and Solomon (2015) became Grandmasters. Muhammad became an International Master. As of 2022, two players in the photo are now deceased: Schleifer (2009), Simpson (2013) and Muhammad (2024).

Stephen Muhammad won the tournament, scored his first IM norm, and would later qualify for the U.S. championship three times. There was such a palpable energy present during the two weeks. In the neighborhood where the "Harlem Renaissance" enthralled the world, ten chess players assembled in the famous Hotel Theresa. It was also near the bustling 125th Street and a short walk from the Apollo Theater, where Black entertainers sought to showcase their talents on the world stage. Chess would have its own “Harlem Renaissance.”

While there have been many current breakthroughs, such as Brewington Hardaway earning the Grandmaster title and master's titles earned by Shama Yisrael and Jessica Hyatt, there is hope that chess will continue to tap this underserved demographic.

Having traveled to six Olympiad tournaments, two World Championships, Grand Chess Tour events and visited many chess communities worldwide, it is such an enlightening experience to see the beauty of chess and its universality. The Chess Drum hopes to continue to keep the beat going in coming years. Thank you for your support!