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The 2012 Pittsburgh Pirates African American Heritage Celebration at PNC Park will be held June 8-9.
This annual event captures the essence of our community efforts and highlights the contributions of African Americans in Pittsburgh.
The celebration includes a weekend of promotions and special events that focus on honoring and recognizing African Americans in baseball while celebrating the African American culture in our community.
The Saturday, June 9 game will include a special post-game FanJam concert featuring Boyz II Men.
The Pirates will host the 2012 African American Heritage Sports Luncheon on Friday, June 8 from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. in the Lexus Club at PNC Park.
The Keynote Speaker will be Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, who became the youngest head coach in NFL history to both coach in and win a Super Bowl in 2009. Tomlin has reached the playoffs in four of his last five seasons and is the 10th African American head coach in NFL history, the first in Steelers history.
Fans can attend for $65, which includes lunch, a Q&A session with Tomlin, and a Pirates gift bag including a voucher for two complimentary Pirates tickets. Plus, meet celebrities and be entered in door prize drawings!
For more information, please contact Chaz Kellem at (412) 325-4731.
• Nominate a 2012 Community Champion »
Throughout the Pittsburgh Pirates rich history, there have been many champions - on and off the field. Players like Willie Stargell and Roberto Clemente thrilled Pirates fans with their baseball achievements. They also supported their communities in many ways by showing character and integrity in all aspects of their lives.
As part of our 2011 Heritage Weekend Celebration, the Pittsburgh Pirates accepted nominations for the "Pittsburgh Pirates Community Champion Award". This award is given to six (6) area individuals who are "champions" of their communities and have positively contributed to the betterment of the diverse community in our region.
Terri Blanchette is the Acting Director of Education and Director of School & Public Programs at the Senator John Heinz History Center. Terri, along with her husband, is a nine year resident of Pittsburgh, and graduate of Duquesne University's History and Museum Studies Masters program. In her work at the Heinz History Center, Terri has developed dozens of history-based programs that have sought to highlight the diversity of the region. Among these are Ability Pittsburgh, a program for youth with disabilities that helps them bridge the assistance gap between high-school and their future careers; a Heritage Holidays weekend celebrating our rich and diverse history; and programs inspired by exhibits such as Soul Soldiers, and America's Best Weekly: A Century of the Pittsburgh Courier, that reveals and honors the contributions of African Americans in our region. These programs are designed to inform adults and encourage all of Pittsburgh's youth to realize they can make a difference in our community.
Jon Hart has been a volunteer coach for the non-profit 14th Ward baseball league for the past 10 years. Routinely donating 30-40 hours a week, Jon has coached as many of 5 different recreational and travel teams simultaneously. He has been blessed to work with hundreds of hard-working and dedicated parents, coaches, and kids. His supportive, empathic approach is focused on sportsmanship rather than winning and has frequently evoked comparisons to that of Pittsburgh's own Fred Rogers. Kids on his teams learn the value of hard work, team spirit, and belief in themselves - lessons that apply well beyond the baseball field.
Catherine Hughes is the Director of Family Support Services for Family Behavioral Resources and the Autism Education and Research Institute. Though she graduated from Penn State University with an Associate's Degree in the liberal arts, it was her experiences as a single young mother to Christian (previously diagnosed on the autism spectrum) that inspired her to enter the behavioral health field in 2003. She is involved with FBR and AERI as a member of the Corporate Team, assisting in day to day program development and decision making which helps the companies remain true to their mission of providing family focused therapy. Catherine provides caring support to families and individuals, in Pennsylvania and across the states. She has co-facilitated trainings and presentations to school districts, universities, and community organizations. She has advocated as a parent and as a professional at local and state levels. She empowers families to provide a voice for their loved ones by becoming their strongest advocates. In addition to her employment, she volunteers for several charitable efforts, including for ABOARD co-facilitating and presenting at support groups, is a past committee chair for Walk Now for Autism Speaks, and a past volunteer columnist for the Autism Help Network's Autism Globe. Catherine is an Advisory Committee member of the PACE Learning Center. In 2009, Catherine was elected to serve as President and Chairman of the Board for The FBR Foundation. She was appointed as the National Director of Family Support Services for AERI, and also supports its partners, Achieving in Higher Education (AHEADD), Specializing in the Treatment and Education of Persons on the Spectrum (STEPS) Behavioral Consulting, and The University School to further support families and individuals in need. In her spare time, she is writing her first book about her family's unique experiences and journeys through autism.
Matthew Onega is employed with the Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council (GPLC) and works within their ESL program as an instructor and coordinator of the Vocational English as a Second Language course which assists newly arriving refugees and immigrants with language and life skills. Through his instruction he has helped numerous diverse populations of refugees and immigrants who now call Pittsburgh their home, gain employment and assimilate into American life. Before coming to GPLC he served as a member of the U.S. Peace Corps serving in Botswana, Africa working in HIV/AIDS educational program development.
Rebecca Rickard is the Group Sales and Audience Development Manager at Pittsburgh Public Theater. At the Public Theater she works with diverse groups of people to give them the best theater experience they can have through backstage tours, pre and post-show talks with actors and production staff, and lunch-and-learns about the various shows. In her spare time she is an Executive Member of the board of PUMP, Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Project, which is a young professional's organization that helps to get young people involved in the city. She is the co-chair of PUMP's Discover Pittsburgh event and PUMP and Pittsburgh Magazine's 40 Under 40 event which recognizes 40 people under the age of 40 who have done amazing things in the Pittsburgh area. She also volunteers with Pittsburgh Cares, Pretty Up Beechview, The Susan G. Koman Race for the Cure, Pittsburgh Marathon, Westminster College Alumni Association, is a host committee member of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Western Pennsylvania's annual Halloween fundraiser, sings the National Anthem at the ALS Association's Walk to Defeat ALS, and has just become a board member of a new organization called Lending Hearts, which provides free services in a supportive and engaging atmosphere for children with cancer to come and feel like a kid among their peers. She's also a huge sports fan who loved her time as captain of the original Pirates hot dog and t-shirt shooters, The Bucco Brigade.
Megan Rooney grew up always wanting to speak another language fluently. After college, she devised a plan of living and working in Latin America and came home three years later fluent. In 1999, inspired by a group of Pittsburgh parents interested in fostering language learning in their own children, she began La Escuelita Arcoiris Spanish Immersion Preschool. She believes that early exposure to Spanish language can inspire an interest in other peoples and cultures, and a passion for learning in general. She hopes that this next generation of young Pittsburghers will know the strength of growing up bilingual.
The six winners from 2010 were:
The six winners from 2009 were:
2011 African American Heritage Sports LuncheonThe Pirates hosted the 2011 African American Heritage Sports Luncheon on Friday, July 22 in the Lexus Club at PNC Park.
Herman Boone, the legendary football coach of T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, VA, was the keynote speaker. Boone's inspirational story was captured in the film "Remember the Titans," starring Denzel Washington.
Through the game of football, Boone united this small Virginian community as they put aside long-standing intolerance in support of their children and their team.
The 2011 Pittsburgh Pirates African American Heritage Celebration at PNC Park was held July 22-23.
This annual event captures the essence of our community efforts and highlights the contributions of African-Americans in Pittsburgh.
The celebration included a weekend of promotions and special events that focus on honoring and recognizing African Americans in baseball while celebrating the African American culture in our community.
Heritage Day was held on Saturday, July 23, when the Pirates hosted the St. Louis Cardinals.
Fans enjoyed live music, food and festivities on Federal Street, during the Heritage Festival. During the game the Pirates wore Homestead Grays uniforms.
The 2010 African American Heritage Celebration was held on August 20-21 at PNC Park. This annual event captured the essence of the Pirates community efforts and highlighted the contributions of African-Americans in Pittsburgh.
The celebrations kicked off August 20 before the game when six Community Champions were honored in a special pre-game ceremony before the Pirates took on the New York Mets. Please see below for the names of the 2010 Community Champion finalists.
The weekend celebrations continued on August 21 with a Heritage Day Festival on Federal Street. The Afro-American Musical Institute was showcased live on stage. Fans could view and visit displays of many cultural arts and crafts along with educational and health awareness booths.
Prior to Saturday's game, the Pirates Andrew McCutchen was presented with the Larry Doby "Legacy" Rookie of the Year Award in a pregame ceremony. The Legacy Awards are presented by the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum annually to recognize the outstanding achievements of Major League Baseball players and officials with awards named for the great players of the Negro Leagues. Larry Doby helped to integrate Major League Baseball when he joined the Cleveland Indians in 1947.
The game was also "Negro Leagues Turn Back the Clock Night" at PNC Park, with the Pirates and New York Mets honoring the Negro League era by sporting the uniforms of the Pittsburgh Crawfords and New York Cubans respectively.
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The Afro-American Music Institute Jazz Ensemble entertained fans during the Heritage Festival on Federal Street prior to the game.
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Twenty organizations were on hand to share information and resources with Pirates fans.
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The Heinz Booth on Federal Street featured prizes and raffles for all fans.
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The Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh shared information on various mentor programs available for the community.
