Boston

Abstract

In the first two decades after World War II, America confronted issues of race in a way that it had not previously done so in its history. During the time period of 1945-1969, the city of Boston and two of its professional sports franchises—namely the Boston Red Sox and the Boston Celtics—also found that matters of race had a newfound significance. From Jackie Robinson’s token tryout with the Red Sox in 1945 to Bill Russell’s retirement from the Celtics in 1969, race and sports intersected in the city of Boston, whether the city was ready for it or not. As the Civil Rights Movement gripped the nation in the 1950s and 1960s, Boston’s own racial injustices came to light as well. With this context, the Boston Celtics provided an example as to what a racially integrated group of people could accomplish, winning eleven titles in thirteen seasons, while their counterparts, the Red Sox, often dragged their feet on realizing racial justice, with the teams of the late ‘60s as an exception. During this time period, Boston’s high-profile sports teams provided a microcosm through which to view the racial situation in Boston and the nation.