Legion FC to put on new B’ham Civil Rights Institute themed jerseys to honor Juneteenth

By Last updated Jun 18, 2021

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – Birmingham Legion FC announced that, as part of its ongoing partnership with the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, the club will wear a redesigned limited edition jersey with the Institute’s logo on the back of their game on Saturday 19th June at BBVA Field against Austin Bold FC.

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.

As DeJuana Thompson, Interim President & CEO of the Institute, stated: “On June 19, 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas to announce that the Civil War had ended and slaves had been freed. Although President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation became law in January 1863, it was not enforced in places still under Confederate control. It took over two years for around 250,000 Texan slaves to learn that their freedom was secured by the government. “

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. Starting Saturday, keep an eye on our @bhmlegion social media pages and the bhmlegion.com website for more information on where and how to participate.

“We are honored to continue our partnership with such a prestigious organization 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 endeavors. “