For the Jewish angle on Willie O’Ree, click here.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) — On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation (S. 452) to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Willie O’Ree of La Mesa, in recognition for his historic contributions to hockey, inclusion, and recreation, and education for young people. The bill previously passed the Senate and now heads to President Biden’s desk for his signature. Since the American Revolution, Congress has commissioned gold medals as its highest expression of national appreciation.
On January 18, 1958, O’Ree became the first Black player to compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Boston Bruins. O’Ree spent 10 seasons of his 22-year professional career playing in San Diego. Following his playing career, O’Ree has lived in La Mesa for more than 30 years.
“Willie O’Ree is an icon across North America, a Hall of Famer in hockey, and a friend to so many in La Mesa and throughout San Diego County. O’Ree overcame profound racism and bigotry to become the first Black player in the NHL. And he has spent decades working to bring more people along with him, making hockey at all levels more welcoming to Black players and supporting programs that help kids in all facets of life. As we work to build a more just and equitable country, it is essential that we recognize and uplift the achievements of leaders like Willie O’Ree,” said Congresswoman Sara Jacobs.
In 1996, the NHL hired O’Ree as its first-ever Diversity Ambassador, to help provide access and opportunity for children of all races and backgrounds to play hockey. O’Ree has also supported the NHL’s Hockey is For Everyone program across North America, which encourages and supports hockey programs for young people in minority and underserved communities and promotes character development and education. In 2018, O’Ree was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
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Preceding provided by the office of Congresswoman Sara Jacobs