As one of the founders of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, he served as their Research Director and Treasurer for five years (1991-1995). He was instrumental in development of the Museum's business plan and licensing program that has become one of its primary revenue sources.

He also served as Senior Editor for the Museum's quarterly newsletter Silhouettes, and their annual yearbook Discover Greatness!. The Museum’s current static exhibition was developed from Lester’s personal collection of photographs, researched material, and memorabilia. Likewise, Lester developed the traveling Negro League exhibit that has been showcased each year at Major League Baseball’s FanFest during All-Star Week since 1993. A similar exhibit “Discover Greatness” owned by the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum has debut at various museums nationally since 1999.

From 2000 to 2004, Lester was under contract with the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum in Cooperstown, New York, to do a comprehensive study of African American baseball from the Civil War up through the mid-fifties, appropriately called “Out of the Shadows.” Project findings are to be released in the near future, with several publications expected from this academic study. In 2006, he served on the Special Negro League Committee for the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum selecting 17 new Negro League players, executives, and managers.

A dedicated advocate, Lester campaigns for retroactive pensions for worthy Negro League players and raises funds to purchase headstones to be placed on unmarked graves of athletes.  He was instrumental in securing Major League baseball pensions for more than 85 former Negro Leaguers, while involving approximately 150 former players in MLB Properties’ royalty program from the sale of Negro League caps, jerseys and related apparel.

Lester remains in contact with more than 200 former players and their families on a regular basis. His research library, compiled from 35+ years of labor, includes thousands of vintage photographs, an array of video sport documentaries, personal audio interviews, and more than 75,000 clipping files on black athletes, along with the only known statistical database of batting and pitching records for approximately 3,200 Negro leaguers from 1867 to 1948.  

For fee-based lectures, seminars, panel discussions, educational forums, workshops, exhibit bookings, presentations, and/or book signings, see contact information below.

He lives in Raytown, a small community outside of Kansas City, with his wife Valcinia.  They have three daughters Tiffany, Marisa and Erica Joi.

 

 Circa, 1989

 

NoirTech Research, Inc.

P.O. Box 380146 – Kansas City, MO 64138

NTresearch@comcast.net

816.589.7940 mobile