‘Soul on Ice’ chronicles overlooked Black hockey history

First of a two-part column Kwame Damon Mason Black contributions in hockey, whether in the United States or in Canada, have historically been whitewashed out of history books. Filmmaker Kwame Damon Mason’s goal is to help rectify this omission. Mason’s 2016 documentary Soul on Ice: … Continue reading →

Short hockey pro enjoys ‘playing with the big dogs’

Nina Rodgers // Photo by Charles Hallman Nina Rodgers, as a young hockey player, wanted one day to integrate the National Hockey League (NHL). “It was a dream growing up,” the WNHL’s Connecticut Whale forward recalled. “I wanted to be the first girl in the NHL.” The Minnetonka … Continue reading →

The color of hockey: Diversity on the rise in women’s pro hockey

Conclusion of a three-part column Former college teammates Blake Bolden and Kaliya Johnson are now competitors in the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL), which started in 2015. On the surface, this isn’t unusual, but in Bolden’s and Johnson’s case, the two female pucksters are … Continue reading →

The color of hockey: The current state of diversity in a traditionally ‘White’ sport

First of a three-part column Willie O’Ree, the first Black player in the NHL, is finally in the Hockey Hall of Fame. During his induction speech, the 83-year-old O’Ree said last week he will continue to work for more inclusion and diversity than when he broke the NHL’s color barrier in … Continue reading →

Black fans all but nonexistent at Frozen Faceoff

This column continues the Only One series in which this reporter shares his experiences as the only African American journalist on the scene. It took four walk-arounds inside the downtown Minneapolis arena before we finally accomplished our simple goal: finding a Black fan. “I am very … Continue reading →

MN Spokesman-Recorder

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Tagged with NHL

‘Soul on Ice’ chronicles overlooked Black hockey history

Short hockey pro enjoys ‘playing with the big dogs’

The color of hockey: Diversity on the rise in women’s pro hockey

The color of hockey: The current state of diversity in a traditionally ‘White’ sport

Black fans all but nonexistent at Frozen Faceoff