The Boston Red Sox organization celebrated Juneteenth by unveiling a brand new MLB Negro Leagues baseball exhibit. The exhibit is put on by The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (which is located in Kansas City, Missouri). It opened Monday at Emerson College, and pays tribute to the leagues’ history. Here are three things to know about this new museum.
The Boston Red Sox collaborated on the museum with the City of Boston, Meet Boston, the Boston Public Library, and the Office of the Arts at Emerson College. It’s called “Barrier Breakers: From Jackie to Pumpsie. The Boston Public Library will host a series of conversations on the history of the Negro Leagues. They will emphasize how the leagues shaped modern professional baseball. The dates to be aware of are:
June 26 – 6pm
Former Red Sox executive and current President of the minor league team the Worcester Red Sox, Dr. Charles Steinberg, will be interviewed by Boston Public Library trustee Ben Bradlee Jr.
July 11 – 6pm
Next, former Red Sox pitcher Dennis “Oil Can’’ Boyd, whose family members played in the Negro Leagues, will be interviewed by Jabari Asim, a Boston Public Library trustee and Emerson College professor.
Both interview conversations will take place at the BPL’s Rabb Hall. A third conversation will be announced shortly.
On hand yesterday at the press conference were Red Sox executive staff members, CEO Sam Kennedy, former Red Sox pitcher Luis Tiant, and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox.
Red Sox and Boston + Negro League History
“In 1937, the Memphis Red Sox were one of eight founding members of the Negro American League, and the following year they were on the cusp of achieving the franchise’s first league title,” MLB states. The Memphis Red Sox were one of the few teams that spanned the full 30 years. Over the course of their existence, they sent four players to the Major Leagues.
In addition, for Boston, the city’s Negro League team was the Boston Royal Giants. In fact, on July 13, 2002, the Red Sox wore the 1948 Boston Royal Giants uniforms in their honor. Here are three things to know about the new exhibit.
It's Open June 19 Through August 4
The exhibit is located at Emerson College, 118 Boylston Street in Boston. It will be available to the public seven days a week from 10 a.m. through 5 p.m. Groups interested can schedule a visit as well. To do so, call Meet Boston at (617) 867-8218.
Photo by Armond Feffer/Boston Red Sox.
“Barrier Breakers” tells the story of the Negro Leagues
This museum is described as displaying, “the strong-willed, dedicated athletes who refused to accept the notion that they were unfit to share in the joys of the national pastime.” The exhibit shares the stories of players who integrated Major League Baseball teams, from Jackie Robinson joining the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 through to Elijah “Pumpsie” Green completing the integration cycle 12 years later with the Red Sox.
Photo by Armond Feffer/Boston Red Sox.
It's a traveling exhibit
“By honoring the legacy of Black athletes who broke barriers in their sport, we preserve untold stories and contribute to a more equitable society, particularly as we observe Juneteenth and aspire for racial equality and social justice,” said David Howse, Vice President for Office of the Arts. Barrier Breakers, is actually a traveling exhibit from the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City. Previously, it was at the MLB All-Star game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. A virtual exhibit can also be found at the Barrier Breakers website. This is where you can also find an official timeline and video vault.
Photo by Armond Feffer/Boston Red Sox)
