City of Boston renaming bridge in honor of Celtics legend Bill Russell
BOSTON -- Bill Russell's name will soon be attached to a bridge right around the corner from the TD Garden. The City of Boston will rename the North Washington Street Bridge in Russell's honor with a ceremony on Monday.
The bridge -- which connects Charlestown with Boston's West End and North End -- will be renamed the "William Felton 'Bill' Russell Bridge" in honor of the Celtics legend. While Russell won 11 championships over his 13 seasons with the Celtics, the renaming of the bridge is to honor his work during the Civil Rights movement -- Russell was at the March on Washington in 1963 when Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream" speech -- and his work with young athletes in the city.
"The bridge renaming will honor [Russell's] dedication to civil rights and the fostering of Boston's youth and young athletes," Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's office announced Friday.
The North Washington Street Bridge is currently under construction, which is set to wrap up in the spring. Russell's widow, Jeannine Russell, will join Mayor Wu and Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey at Monday's ceremony, along with Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca, other members of team leadership, and current and former Celtics players.
Russell died at the age of 88 in 2022. In addition to being an 11-time champion and five-time MVP as a player, Russell was also the first black head coach in NBA history. He led the Celtics to two titles as a player-coach in 1968 and 1969.
There is a statue of Russell in Boston's City Hall Plaza, which was erected in 2013. Statues of two children were added in 2015 to honor Russell's work with local youth during and after his career. Russell also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2011 for his work during the Civil Rights movement.
