Boston Police Apologize For Black History Month Tweet Honoring Red Auerbach
BOSTON (CBS) – Boston Police deleted a tweet about Black History Month after it was criticized for celebrating a white man.
Police said they chose to pay tribute to Boston Celtics legend Red Auerbach because he was the first NBA coach to draft a black player. He also put together the first all-black starting five and hired the league's first black head coach, Bill Russell.
Several people responded to the tweet, suggesting the department should have honored someone else.
"As lovely as all those things are that Red did, black history month is not about white men. This is inappropriate," one person responded.
"Is this a joke?" another asked.
One user called the tweet "tone-deaf," while another called it a "swing and a miss."
The tweet was deleted a short time later.
Later in the evening, Boston Police shared a tribute to Russell, calling him "one of the greatest Celtics of all time."
#ICYMI: In honor of #BlackHistoryMonth we pay tribute to Bill Russell, one of the greatest @celtics of all time and the first African-American head coach in the history of the NBA when he was named @celtics coach on November 15, 1966. pic.twitter.com/gKX7zpcUQt
— Boston Police Dept. (@bostonpolice) February 12, 2018
Boston Police later apologized for the Auerbach tweet, saying, "Our intentions were never to offend."
BPD realizes that an earlier tweet may have offended some and we apologize for that. Our intentions were never to offend. It has been taken down.
— Boston Police Dept. (@bostonpolice) February 12, 2018