WASHINGTON, D.C. – As part of their Black History Month celebration, the Washington Wizards will honor trailblazers from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. “Our Community, Our History” will be a campaign celebrating those raised in the DMV that have had a positive impact on D.C.’s culture. This month, the Wizards will highlight the influence and accomplishments of African Americans and organizations that are direct products of the D.C. metro area.
Each of the six upcoming home games will be themed to highlight honorees in a specific industry, as well as through a 28-day social media and digital campaign telling the stories of each honoree. The themes to be celebrated are sports (Feb. 5 vs. Phoenix), television and film (Feb. 7 vs. Miami), service and community (Feb. 10 vs. Brooklyn), education and HBCU night (Feb. 12 vs. Sacramento), Health, Tech and Heart Health Awareness presented by MedStar Health (Feb. 14, vs. Detroit) and Music (Feb. 25 vs. San Antonio).
Highlights from the Wizards’ Black History Month programming include:
Essay Contest celebrating Dr. E.B. Henderson
The Washington Wizards have partnered with the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation for their annual essay contest for DMV and Baltimore area high school and middle school students. In its 27th year, the contest will honor Dr. Edwin Bancroft (E.B.) Henderson, a sports historian, educator, administrator, coach, athlete, and civil rights activist known as the 'Grandfather of Black Basketball' here in Washington, D.C. Dr. Henderson, a great activist, wrote over 3,000 letters to the editor for the Washington Post and other newspapers on civil rights and race relations. Students are encouraged to submit a 250- word essay about a community leader who has had a positive impact in your life. One submission from a high school student and one submission from a middle school student will be selected to receive a scholarship contribution and additional recognition from the Washington Wizards. Deadline to submit is March 17, 2022. For more information visit this LINK.
HBCU Night
During the game on February 12 against the Sacramento Kings, Washington will recognize Howard University and Morgan State University men’s basketball teams prior to their participation in the All-Star weekend for the HBCU Classic game in Cleveland, OH. For tickets to the Wizards vs. Sacramento game, visit: HERE. $5 from every ticket purchased through this link will be donated to the DC HBCU Alumni Alliance.
Black-Owned DMV
For the second consecutive year, the Washington Wizards will support Black-Owned DMV, a campaign that highlights the importance of Black-Owned businesses in the Washington metropolitan area. The season-long initiative highlights two businesses every month and each business selected will be featured on the team’s Black-Owned DMV page and through Wizards marketing assets. In February, The Furlough Cheesecake and Mahogany Books will be highlighted.
Participants in the Black-Owned DMV initiative will receive professional development and networking opportunities. To be considered for the Black-Owned DMV program, businesses must be within a 75-mile radius of Capital One Arena. Submit an application HERE.
For more information on the Washington Wizards’ Black History Month initiatives, visit this LINK.