BPD honored Juneteenth by taking part in the Opening Day Ceremony for “Barrier Breakers: African American and Latin players that broke the color barriers in Major League Baseball Teams.
Police Commissioner Cox, members of the Department’s Command staff and community service officers were honored to take part in the ceremonies for the Negro League Baseball Museum Touring Exhibit.
Among those on hand for opening ceremonies were Red Sox legends Luis Tiant and Tommy Harper, Red Sox President Sam Kennedy, Red Sox Special Advisor Frank Jordan and some students from Dorchester.
The exhibit is free and open to the public daily from 10:00AM-3:00pm daily through August 4th. Location: 118 Boylston Street (an Emerson College space that is across from the Boston Common)
The Red Sox and Boston Public Library join Emerson in helping to make the exhibit possible, and the BPL will be holding some related events this summer.
“Developed by the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, BARRIER BREAKERS: From
Jackie to Pumpsie, is a traveling exhibition that tells the story of the Negro Leagues
and the strong-willed, dedicated athletes, who simply refused to accept the notion that
they were unfit to share in the joys of our national pastime.
Despite Major League Baseball’s 60-year, self-imposed color barrier that denied
players of color the opportunity to play baseball within their organization, the Negro
Leagues established their own teams and forged a glorious history during an
inglorious era of American segregation. We highlight the obstacles players of color
faced, what they did to overcome the challenges of prejudice and social injustice in
this country and how their talent, passion and perseverance changed Major League
Baseball and America.”
