In honor of Black History Month, the Kansas City Royals and its philanthropic arm, Royals Charities, are ensuring that anyone who wants to hear the stories of the Negro Leagues can do so for free.
Giving a tip of the cap to its neighbor across town, the Kansas City Royals and Royals Charities are providing free admission to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum throughout the month of February.
The relationship between the Kansas City Royals and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum runs deep.
The history of the Negro Leagues runs deep in Kansas City as the Kansas City Monarchs were the longest-established franchise and Negro Leagues legend Buck O’Neil, entering the Baseball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2022, was a frequent visitor at Royals game and has a seat named after him at Kauffman Stadium.
Kansas City has also played host to the “Dressed to the Nines” event, a time when the Royals take the field as the Monarchs and fans are encouraged to dress in their Sunday best, “wearing fashionable clothes that fit the time period to capture the spirit and atmosphere of what it was like for fans to cheer on their Monarchs,” the Royals said in this promotion of the day.
The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) has become one of the must-stops in the country for baseball fans, especially those wanting to learn about an era where some of the game’s most talented players were not allowed to play as a part of Major League Baseball because of segregation.
"“We are thrilled to help our fans hear this important story,” Royals Chairman and CEO John Sherman said in a statement highlighting the opportunity to visit the MLBM in February. “The Royals are proud of our connection with the Museum and the rich history of the Monarchs. The Negro Leagues story is about baseball, but it transcends baseball. It’s about American history and our struggles and progress in civil rights, and the Museum presents that story like nowhere else.”"
According to reports, this is the first time that the Royals and Royals Charities have sponsored free admission to NLBM as part of Black History Month.