A historic Boston bridge will soon have a new name honoring a Boston Celtics legend.
In a ceremony on Monday, October 21, the North Washington Street Bridge will be redubbed the William Felton ‘Bill’ Russell Bridge in honor of the basketball legend who passed away in 2022. His longtime wife, Jeannine Russell will be on hand alongside city officials and former and current Celtics.
A 6-foot, 10-inch center, Russell was a 12-time NBA All-Star and was named the league’s MVP five times, in 1958, 1961, 1962, 1963 and 1965 as his Celtics dominated the NBA during the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s.
The Celtics’ 11 NBA titles during Russell’s playing days included eight consecutive crowns from 1959 to 1966. Two of the Celtics’ titles came after Russell replaced Red Auerbach after the 1966 season to become the league’s first Black head coach. Russell retired as an active player after the Celtics won the NBA championship for the 1968-69 season.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu says the renaming honors Russell’s dedication to civil rights.
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.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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