FAMU To Play NCCU In Historic Fenway Park in Boston

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) President Elmira Mangum, Ph.D., joined the Boston Red Sox and the Boston Area Church League, Inc., on Monday, April 6th to announce the schedule and participants of the first ever Historically Black Colleges and Universities Legacy Weekend Celebration. The celebration will be held in Boston from April 23 – 26.

The press conference announcing the celebration was attended by Marty Walsh, mayor of the City of Boston; Lawrence “Larry” Lucchino, president and CEO of the Red Sox; Thomas Werner, chairman of the Red Sox and television producer (“The Cosby Show” and “A Different World);” Milton L. Wright, Jr., retired first justice of the Roxbury District Court and commissioner of the City of Boston Licensing Board; Harold Sparrow, senior vice president of operations for the Greater Boston YMCA; and Frank Jordan, creator of the HBCU Legacy Weekend Celebration and special adviser to the Red Sox.

In addition to President Mangum, Interim Athletic Director E. D’Wayne Robinson and Vice President for Communications and External Relations Jimmy Miller represented FAMU at the press conference.

FAMU along with North Carolina Central University (NCCU) will be the participants in this year’s inaugural celebration. The weekend of events will include a doubleheader featuring the two HBCUs on April 24 at Jim Rice Field in Roxbury, Mass. and a single game on April 25 at the historic Fenway Park in Boston.

Mangum thanked all of the sponsors of the events and said that the celebration is more than just three ball games between two MEAC rivals for FAMU. The events are designed to provide inspiration, information, and resources to the community.

“Our mission of serving the underserved dovetails perfectly with the sponsors of this celebration, which is why I am so proud to be here today representing FAMU,” said Mangum.

She added, “What distinguishes FAMU from others is its legacy of providing access to a high-quality, affordable education to many students who otherwise may never have the opportunity to fulfill their dreams of getting a college degree. Helping the dreams of others to come to fruition is something that all of the organizations participating in Legacy Weekend have in common.”

In addition to the games between NCCU and FAMU, the weekend of events includes a reception on April 23, a debate hosted by Harvard University on April 24, and a college and career fair hosted by the Red Sox on April 25 at Fenway Park.

“This event is an awesome opportunity for Florida A&M athletics,” said Robinson. “It allows us to impact our recruiting and marketing efforts at another level and continues to build on the legacy of this great institution.”