News release
January 9, 2020, Washington, D.C.— In celebration of Black History Month 2020, the Embassy of Canada, in partnership with the NHL®, is pleased to announce the return of the NHL Black Hockey History Tour presented by American Legacy which will be on site at the Embassy of Canada from January 12-14th, 2020. Featured in the mobile museum is Canadian hockey legend Willie O’Ree who became the first black player to compete in the NHL in 1958.
“We are very excited to welcome the mobile museum back to the Embassy of Canada and thrilled that the launch of the 14 city tour starts with a nod to Canada’s rich black hockey history,” said Acting Ambassador Kirsten Hillman. “Hockey is an important component of Canadian culture and society, and we are proud of the role trailblazers like Willie O’Ree played in encouraging diversity and inclusion in the sport.”
This uniquely curated mobile museum will visit 14 NHL cities across North America to celebrate today’s stars, while also looking back at the pioneers and trailblazers who helped shape NHL history.
This year’s museum has been refreshed and redesigned offering fans a new experience as they learn about some of the biggest moments, milestones, and playmakers in hockey. The museum will travel to schools, community rinks and NHL arenas, incorporating unique programming at each stop. A few museum highlights include:
- Firsts and milestones: an entire wall dedicated to celebrating achievements in black hockey history including the first black NHL player, first captain, and first inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
- Every black player in NHL history: every player in history will be represented throughout the museum, including via a uniquely designed ‘Wall of Pucks.’
- Team locker room: every stop will have a customized NHL home team locker room giving fans the opportunity to sit in a stall to take a photo.
NHL Diversity and Hockey Is For Everyone ambassador Willie O’Ree will make a special appearance at select tour stops. Since 1998, O’Ree – the first Black player ever to play in the NHL – has established 39 local grassroots hockey programs, traveling to more than 500 schools, community centers and rinks to share his inspiring story and the values hockey teaches: perseverance, teamwork, and dedication. Today, there are 26 Hockey Is For Everyone youth hockey programs serving 10,000 kids across North America each year.
NHL Black Hockey History Tour presented by American Legacy will be on display in the Embassy of Canada courtyard at 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW January 12 (10am-4pm) and January 13-14 (11am-7:30pm), free of charge.
An up-to-date list of locations and tour stops open to the public is available at NHL.com/BlackHockeyHistory. To join the conversation, fans are encouraged to use the hashtag #BlackHockeyHistory.
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Media Contact:
Michelle Mahoney
Media Relations Officer, Embassy of Canada
202-448-6391
[email protected]
MADISON HEIGHTS, MI – JANUARY 08: Images of the NHL Black History Month Truck Tour at MRA Corporate Headquarters on January 8, 2020 in Madison Heights, Michigan. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images)