Monday morning, Governor Maura Healey and Mayor Michelle Wu were joined by community leaders and Boston Celtics brass, including owner Wyc Grousbeck, Steve Pagliuca and reigning Finals MVP Jaylen Brown for the official unveiling of the William Felton “Bill” Russell Bridge.
Renaming the North Washington Street Bridge, which connects Charlestown with the city’s west and north ends, for the 11-time NBA Champion and civil rights pioneer is a fitting tribute, according to Russell’s family .
[ Historic Boston bridge to be renamed for Celtics legend Bill Russell ]
“Never chase acknowledgment. But I know he would be so proud to be honored with this bridge naming. Thank you. Because deep down, Bill understood that outcomes of his convictions could be a bridge to better understanding of the challenges we face in society and how to navigate our path forward,” his widow, Jeannie Russell said.
“I think it’s very fitting that the bridge is getting named after him, because what a bridge does is bring people together,” Jaylen Brown added.
In 1961, Russell led a boycott against racist behavior after Celtics teammates Sam Jones and Thomas “Satch” Sanders were refused service in a coffee shop at their team hotel in Lexington, Kentucky, The Washington Post reported. His other four Black teammates walked out, along with two Black players for the Celtics’ opponent in an exhibition game that night, the St. Louis Hawks.
In 1969, Russell debated Georgia Gov. Lester Maddox on television about racism, ESPN reported.
“Real change takes time -- lots of it,” Russell wrote in an essay for The Players’ Tribune in September 2020. “This is infuriating but not surprising when considered in terms of foundations. America is a country of contradictions because of its foundation. On the one hand, there’s the idea of what America is supposed to be, and on the other, what America really is.
The bridge spans the Charles River and connects Charlestown to the West End and North End near TD Garden, the home of the Celtics.
First opening in 1900, the bridge has been under construction for over six years but MassDOT officials say it should be reopened in early 2025.
The NBA Finals MVP Award is named for Russell. He received several other honors during his career, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2010. In 2017, Russell was named the inaugural recipient of the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award. Three years later, Russell was among three winners of the Mannie Jackson-Basketball’s Human Spirit Award for his commitment to social justice.
The bridge is currently under construction but is expected to be completed by spring 2025.
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