February is Black History Month, a time when we celebrate the accomplishments of Black Americans as well as those who fought for civil rights and equality.
To honor the month, BetTennessee.com was curious to see what NBA teams have been the most supportive and inclusive towards the holiday and Black community in America. We created a scoring system factoring in content all teams have shared on social media platforms regarding holidays such as Black History Month, MLK Jr. Day, Juneteenth, and more, promotional celebrations, along with how outspoken and supportive each team has been in support of the Black community in the United States.
Rank | Team | Total Score |
1 | Memphis Grizzlies | 340 |
2 | New York Knicks | 160 |
3 | Golden State Warriors | 100 |
T-4 | Charlotte Hornets | 90 |
T-4 | Houston Rockets | 90 |
T-4 | Dallas Mavericks | 90 |
7 | Phoenix Suns | 85 |
8 | Milwaukee Bucks | 80 |
T-9 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 75 |
T-9 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 75 |
In a lot of ways, it makes sense that the Grizzlies are by far the team most supportive of Black History Month. For starters, the population of Memphis is more than 60% Black.
However, beyond that, the city has been the site of some of the most important, and sometimes tragic, events in the fight for civil rights. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis in 1968. That motel now serves as the National Civil Rights Museum.
A block south of the FedEx Forum, where the Grizzlies play, is I AM A MAN Plaza, a site where the city’s sanitation workers waged an iconic strike more than 55 years ago. Memphis is also a cultural hub as it is the home of blues and a hotbed for soul music. Musical icons B.B. King, Issac Hayes, Al Green and Otis Redding were all part of the Memphis music scene years ago.
The city’s musical legacy extends into rap, starting with groups like Three 6 Mafia, which was formed more than 30 years ago, to artists from today, such as multi-platinum artist Moneybagg Yo.
The Grizzlies contributions to Black History Month include hosting a gallery of photographs that captured key moments in the Civil Rights Movement from the Withers Collection Museum at the FedEx Forum. The gallery also contains other artworks created by African American artists.
USA Today photo by Kirby Lee.
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