BIRMINGHAM, AL – As part of the continuing partnership with the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, the Birmingham Legion FC will face Austin in their game on Saturday at BBVA Field. Courageous FC wear a newly designed, limited-edition jersey with the institute’s logo on the back.
The jersey is gray, with the new BCRI logo between the shoulder blades, a patch with match details on the chest and “18 – Juneteenth – 65” on the lower back in honor of Juneteenth, the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States.
“On June 19, 1865, Union major general Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas to announce that the Civil War had ended and slaves freed,” said DeJuana Thompson, interim president and CEO of the institute. “Although President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation became law in January 1863, it was not enforced in places still under Confederate control. Therefore, it took over 2 years for about 250,000 Texas slaves to learn that their freedom was secured by the government has been.”
After the game, each of the shirts worn by the game and signed by the players will be offered for auction and all proceeds will go directly to the institute.
“We are honored to continue our partnership with an organization as respected as the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute,” said Jay Heaps, President and General Manager of Legion FC. “We would like to thank the Institute, President Thompson, and Chairman Isaac Cooper for recently coordinating a tour of the Institute for our players and staff. The BCRI continues to do inspiring work to educate and combat social injustice and racial inequality, and we are proud to support them in their efforts. “
Legion FC is a corporate member of the institute and the entire team and technical staff participated in a guided tour of the institute on June 9th. The club’s other kit sponsors, Red Diamond, Buffalo Rock and Mercedes Benz of Birmingham approved the memorial kit and booth with Legion FC in support of BCRI.
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