Black Heritage Celebration

clejsykes

The Cleveland Cavaliers 16th Annual Black Heritage Celebration (BHC) presented by Crown Royal Regal Apple will tip off on Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Monday, January 20th at 5:00 p.m. when the Cavs take on the New York Knicks at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The special early-evening matchup will begin a multiweek celebration themed “Empowering and Inspiring One Generation to the Next.”

The BHC, which is an expanded salute to Black History Month in February, recognizes the remarkable accomplishments of African Americans of today and throughout history who continue to pave the path for future generations. In January and February, the Cavs will spotlight black history moments during the game presentation of featured matchups at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The upcoming months will also include annual events that celebrate, showcase and provide opportunities for black professionals throughout the Cleveland community in concert with the BHC. In addition, players, coaches and staff members will dedicate volunteer efforts to Black History Month at projects throughout Northeast Ohio. Details regarding these volunteer events will be announced soon.

“The achievements and contributions of African Americans, past and present, are far-reaching and an important part of our community in Cleveland and the history of our nation,” said Campy Russell, Cavaliers Legend and director of alumni relations. “We celebrate and recognize these accomplishments every day and work to provide opportunities for African Americans in Northeast Ohio throughout the year. The BHC provides us the platform to tell these stories with a deeper emphasis to inspire our fans and budding heroes of tomorrow.”

Signature Black Heritage Celebration theme nights and events in January and February include:

Martin Luther King Jr. Day: January 20th vs New York Knicks at 5:00 p.m.

The special early-evening game will remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the pastor, activist and humanitarian who led the African American civil rights movements. The Warrensville Heights-based Word Church Choir with special guest soloists will sing the national anthem followed by a performance of the song “Glory” and a corresponding dramatically-themed iteration of player introductions. The Word Church will later come back to the court for a special halftime performance.

February 1st vs Golden State Warriors at 8:00 p.m.

Cleveland’s Shaw High School Marching Band will team up with the 216Stix, the Cavaliers rhythm pounding drumline for a sure-to-be high energy halftime performance. The Shaw High School Marching Band became world-famous after their opening ceremonies performance at the Beijing Summer Olympics in 2008. In addition, the Cavs will recognize participants from this season’s annual Marcus Graham Project workshop (more information below).

Taste of Black Cleveland: The Food Showcase 3.0: February 10th at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

In continued partnership between the NAACP, The Real Black Friday, the Cavs and Aramark, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse will welcome 20 black chefs who own local Cleveland restaurants, food trucks and catering businesses to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse for Taste of Black Cleveland: The Food Showcase 3.0. After very successful events in 2017 and 2018, The Food Showcase 3.0 (formerly the Launch Test Kitchen Food Tasting &amp; Business Development Experience) has expanded from an annual private tasting and industry event to a public celebration of food and opportunity as part of Cleveland’s dynamic restaurant landscape.

Tickets are $30 and include admission and food at The Food Showcase 3.0 and one ticket to the BHC Cavs vs. Philadelphia 76ers game on Wednesday, February 26th. Tickets are available for purchase online at http://rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com/thefoodshowcase3.0 or at the Box Office at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

Proceeds from The Food Showcase 3.0 tickets will benefit Cleveland NAACP’s Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO), a yearlong achievement program designed to recruit,  stimulate, and encourage high academic and cultural achievement among African-American high school students, and the Cavaliers Community Foundation (CCF), supporting programs for children, families and young adults designed to positively impact the community in the areas of education, health, recreation, employment, entrepreneurship and life skills.

Previous winners include Tiwanna Scott-Williams in 2017, whose unique and flavorful comfort food concept called Pearl’s Kitchen can now be found on the main street-level concourse at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Other previous winners include Chef Vic Searcy (Sauce The City) and Chef Sonia Steele (Vegan Vicki), who have items featured on menus in the Budweiser Brew House and in premium spaces around Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, respectively.

February 12th vs Atlanta Hawks at 7:00 p.m.

As a nod to the Cavaliers 50th season, the team will dedicate halftime to remember the over 60 African American trailblazers who have been honored by the team over the previous 15 years of the BHC. Past honorees include Harrison Dillard; a lifelong Clevelander who was a four-time Olympic gold medalist in track and field; Toni Morrison, another Cleveland-native and Nobel laureate in literature; Carl Stokes, the first black mayor of Cleveland and of any major U.S. city; among many others.

February 26th vs Philadelphia 76ers at 7:00 p.m.

Fans are in for a treat as the Cavaliers welcome the award-winning Detroit Youth Choir to the court for a special halftime performance. The DYC placed second on the past season of NBC’s America’s Got Talent with powerful covers of radio hits like Carrie Underwood's "The Champion” and Panic! at the Disco's "High Hopes.” CLICK HERE to watch the Choir perform on AGT. In addition, the Cavs will welcome alumni of historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) to celebrate the schools and their academic contributions throughout the game presentation.

In addition to the celebration on the court, the Cavs have teamed up with the Marcus Graham Project to host the 6th annual Sports Marketing Workshop for diverse students and professionals interested in a sports marketing career. The workshop will take place January 29th through February 1st at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Marcus Graham Project is a network of diverse professionals formed with the purpose of developing the next generation of leadership by mentoring and training ethnically diverse men and women in all aspects of the advertising, media and marketing industry. Over the last five years, alumni of the Cavs MGP workshop have landed jobs throughout the industry, including six who now work, or have previously worked, within the Cavs organization.

Workshop participants will receive first-hand knowledge from some of today’s top executives in the Sports Marketing industry. One standout participant from the workshop will earn the opportunity to be sponsored by the Cavs to attend MGP's iCR8 Summer Boot Camp in Dallas, Texas. All participants will be recognized at the Cavaliers game on February 1st vs the Golden State Warriors.

To register for the MGP workshop, visit jobs.lever.co/marcusgrahamproject

The Cavs have also teamed up with MARTK’D, Culture Junkie and Yellowbrick to host a “Art on Sneaker” community engagement initiative. The program is designed to provide opportunity to individuals that are exploring career paths that align with their passions, including sneakers, fashion, sports, music and media.

As part of the unique activation, the Cavs will host 50 of Northeast Ohio’s most talented emerging artists in a competition to design a blank white sneaker with limited time and in front of a live audience. Multiple winners from the competition will be awarded scholarship money.

In addition to the celebration on the court and in the classroom, staff members across the Cavaliers organization will have the opportunity to attend a screening of the movie Just Mercy. The movie will be followed by a roundtable discussion, as well as the organization's annual soul food luncheon, which is a BHC tradition.

Fans can engage online and in social media throughout the month by visiting cavs.com/BHC and following the #CavsBHC hashtag on Twitter (@cavs), Instagram (@cavs), Facebook (Facebook.com/Cavs) and Snapchat (cavs).

the-cavaliers-16th-annual-black-heritage-celebration

The Cavaliers 16th Annual Black Heritage Celebration

nbaplatformservices

Launch Test Kitchen - What's Cooking at The Q?

launch-test-kitchen-whats-cooking-at-the-q

clenadams

The Cleveland Cavaliers 15th annual Black Heritage Celebration (BHC) will tip off on Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Monday, January 21st when the Cavs take on the Chicago Bulls at Quicken Loans Arena at 1:00 p.m. The special afternoon matchup will begin a month-long celebration themed “Empowering and Inspiring One Generation to the Next.” The BHC, which is an expanded salute to Black History Month in February, recognizes the remarkable accomplishments of African Americans of today, and throughout history, who continue to pave the path for future generations.

The celebration in January and February will spotlight black history moments and achievements throughout the game presentation and will feature special halftime programming, beginning with an exciting performance by renowned musician Geoffrey Golden and Friends on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. There will also be special interviews and video shared, with Cavs players and legends, highlighting the important message of Community and Unity, as well as community outreach initiatives with both Cavs team and staff members across the organization participating in and volunteering their time to projects in Northeast Ohio in honor of Black History Month. Details regarding these additional events and projects will be announced soon separately.

“This year, by example, our hope is to inspire others to make a difference,” said Cavaliers Legend and BHC committee member Campy Russell. “Celebrating black history is about more than just acknowledging our past, it’s about recognizing the great accomplishments of African Americans of today with the goal of inspiring our future and our youth to realize their dreams.”

Signature Black Heritage Celebration theme nights at Cavs games in January and February include:

Martin Luther King Jr. Day: January 21st vs Chicago Bulls at 1:00 p.m.

The team will remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the pastor, activist and humanitarian who led the African American civil rights movements with a special halftime performance by Geoffrey Golden and Friends. Golden, the season seven winner of BET Sunday Best and Cleveland native, and his choir will perform an emotional ballad as a tribute to Dr. King.

Earlier in the day, the Cavs Academy team will host a FREE Martin Luther King Jr. Day Basketball Clinic at John Adams High School for kids ages 6-17 from various local community groups. Each participant will receive a reversible Cavs Academy jersey, a basketball and tickets to the Cavs game later that night.

February 2nd vs Dallas Mavericks at 7:30 p.m.

Throughout the game presentation, the team will celebrate historically black colleges and universities (HBCU). To begin the game, the national anthem will be performed by Ohio's Wilberforce University Choir. The night will be highlighted by a halftime performance by the acclaimed Howard University “Showtime” Marching Band. Past performances by the “Showtime” band have received national attention - playing at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the 56th Inaugural Parade for President Barack Obama, among many other special events. The team will also recognize participants from this season’s Marcus Graham Project workshop (more information below).

February 11th vs New York Knicks at 7:00 p.m.

The Cavaliers will host a unique in-game presentation and halftime featuring recent participants from the 2nd Annual Launch Test Kitchen Food Tasting &amp; Business Development Experience. In continued partnership with the NAACP, the Cavs and Aramark teamed up for this event to welcome 15 black chefs who own local Cleveland restaurants, food trucks, and catering businesses. The chefs prepared their signature dishes for invited guests and judges to sample and vote on their favorite items.

February 23rd vs Memphis Grizzlies at 7:00 p.m.

To conclude the month-long program, the celebration will culminate with a night honoring and remembering “The Queen of Soul,” the late Aretha Franklin. Cynthia Minx, an accomplished Aretha Franklin tribute singer, will perform a stunning tribute to Franklin at halftime. In addition, the game presentation throughout the night will remember Franklin and her contributions to music and civil rights with in-game features and music.

Cavs BHC Extends to the Classroom
In addition to the celebration on the court, the Cavs have teamed up with the Marcus Graham Project to host the 5th annual Sports Marketing Workshop for diverse students and professionals interested in a sports marketing career. The workshop will take place January 30th through February 2nd at Quicken Loans Arena. The Marcus Graham Project is a network of diverse professionals formed with the purpose of developing the next generation of leadership by mentoring and training ethnically diverse men and women in all aspects of the advertising, media and marketing industry.

Workshop participants will receive first-hand knowledge from some of today’s top executives in the Sports Marketing industry. One standout participant from the workshop will earn the opportunity to be sponsored by the Cavs to attend MGP's iCR8 Summer Boot Camp in Dallas, Texas. All participants will be recognized at the Cavaliers game on February 2nd as part of the education themed game presentation.

To register for the MGP workshop, visit jobs.lever.co/marcusgrahamproject.

In addition to the celebration on the court and in the classroom, staff members across the Cavaliers organization have the opportunity to attend a Q&amp;A session with Steven Caple Jr., the Cleveland-born director of Creed 2, along with a screening of the film. Every Cavs staff member will also enjoy the organization's annual soul food luncheon next month, which is a BHC tradition.

cavs-black-history-celebration-tips-off-on-january-21st

Cavs Black History Celebration Tips Off on January 21st

The Cleveland Cavaliers 14th Annual Black Heritage Celebration (BHC) will tip off on Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Monday, January 15th when the Cavs take on the Golden State Warriors at Quicken Loans Arena in a nationally-televised game at 8:00 p.m. The special night will begin a month-long celebration themed “Empowering and Inspiring. One Generation to the Next.”  The BHC, which is the Cavs expanded salute to Black History Month in February, recognizes the remarkable accomplishments of African American icons and lesser known contributors who have paved the path for future generations.

Throughout the BHC, the Cavs game presentation at halftime will showcase inspiring moments in African American history beginning with a creative interpretation of a local Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speech at the Cavs vs Warriors game on January 15th – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. At homes games in February, the team will honor “The First Three” players in the NBA - Chuck Cooper, Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton and Earl Lloyd, as well as former Cavs GM Wayne Embry. The celebration will continue with a special night recognizing African American women throughout history and in the Cleveland community; and culminate by honoring African Americans in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

There will also be interviews with notable Cavs players and legends, as well as several community outreach initiatives throughout January and February as Cavs players and front office team members volunteer their time and service to projects in Northeast Ohio.

“There are countless stories of African Americans from Northeast Ohio and across the country who have overcome obstacles and hardships to bring about change and opportunity for others,” said Campy Russell, Cavaliers Legend and Director of Alumni Relations. “The goal of the Cavs BHC is to continue to educate and tell these stories, honor those who have broken down racial barriers, acknowledge the leaders of today who stand on the shoulders of those who have come before them, and to pass the torch and inspire the budding heroes of tomorrow that represent our future.”

Martin Luther King Jr. Day: January 15th vs Golden State Warriors at 8:00 p.m.
The team will remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the pastor, activist and humanitarian who led the African American civil rights movements, with a halftime performance featuring a powerful interpretation of a speech he gave at Cleveland’s Glenville High School in 1967. With an assist from gospel musician Geoffrey Golden and Cleveland-area students, the halftime will creatively unite Dr. King’s impactful message with a specially-produced 3D court-projected tribute montage.

February 3th vs Houston Rockets at 8:30 p.m.
The team will remember and recognize the first African Americans in the NBA, both on the hardwood and in the front office, who broke the color barrier and paved the way for others around the league. During a special halftime presentation, the team will honor the accomplishments of “The First Three” African American players in the NBA - Chuck Cooper, Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton and Earl Lloyd. Cooper became the first African American player to be drafted when he was chosen by the Boston Celtics; Clifton became the first African American to sign an NBA contract when he signed with the New York Knicks; and Lloyd became the first African American to play in an NBA regular-season game with the Washington Capitols. The Cavs will also honor Wayne Embry, the first African American General Manager and Team President in NBA history. Embry was the first African American GM of the Cavs and held that position for 13 seasons.

February 22nd vs Washington Wizards at 8:00 p.m.
The Cavaliers will recognize African American women whose passion, dedication and legacy has helped shape the country we live in today. From everyday community heroes to trailblazing women throughout history, the halftime presentation will focus on the ladies who have pushed the equality envelope – both in gender and race – to overcome and succeed. A full list of honorees will be posted to Cavs.com/BHC later in the month.

February 25th vs San Antonio Spurs at 3:30 p.m.
To conclude the month-long program, the spotlight will shift to African Americans who have made contributions in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The halftime presentation will celebrate and honor those who have, or are currently making a difference in STEM and serve as motivation for other minorities to pursue their dreams and goals. A full list of honorees will be posted to Cavs.com/BHC later in the month.

Cavs BHC Celebration Extends to the Classroom

In addition to the celebration on the court, the Cavs have teamed up with the Marcus Graham Project to host the 4th annual Sports Marketing Workshop for diverse students and professionals interested in the sports marketing career field. The workshop will take place January 31st through February 3rd at Quicken Loans Arena. The Marcus Graham Project is a network of diverse professionals formed with the purpose of developing the next generation of leadership by mentoring and training ethnically diverse men and women in all aspects of the advertising, media and marketing industry.

Workshop participants will receive first-hand knowledge from some of today’s top executives in the Sports Marketing industry. One standout participant from the workshop will earn the opportunity to be sponsored by Cavs to attend MGP's iCR8 Summer Boot Camp in Dallas, Texas.

In addition to the celebration on the court and in the classroom, team members in the business office of the Cavs organization were offered the opportunity to see a screening of the movie Marshall. In addition, team members will be treated to a special luncheon next month in the spirit of the BHC where they will receive a commemorative coin showcasing the theme, “Empowering and Inspiring. One Generation to the Next.”

Fans can engage online and in social media throughout the month by visiting Cavs.com/BHC and following the #CavsBHC hashtag on Twitter (@cavs), Instagram (@cavs), Facebook.com/Cavs and Snapchat (cavs).

cavs-black-history-celebration-tips-off-on-january-15th

Cavs Black History Celebration Tips Off on January 15th

Cavs.com

black-heritage-celebration-through-the-years

Black Heritage Celebration Through the Years

black-heritage-celebration

Presented by:

fubo

SINGLE GAME TICKETS FOR GAME 5 ARE ON SALE NOW -- <strong><a href="https://seatgeek.com/cleveland-cavaliers-tickets/playoff-tickets?aid=15870&amp;pid=web&amp;rid=41524&amp;utm_medium=partnership&amp;utm_source=cavs_ticketing&amp;utm_campaign=web&amp;utm_content=playofftickets">GET TICKETS &gt;&gt;&gt;</a></strong>