The 2013 Pittsburgh Pirates African American Heritage Celebration at PNC Park was held May 31 and June 1.
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 focused on honoring and recognizing African Americans in baseball while celebrating the African American culture in our community.
The Friday, May 31 game included a Celebration Tailgate on Federal Street. Fans met and mingled with Pirates legends Manny Sanguillen, Grant Jackson and Dave Parker. The Pirates also presented the "Pittsburgh Pirates Community Champion Awards" in a pregame ceremony.
• Celebration Tailgate photo gallery 
The Saturday, June 1 game included a special post-game FanJam concert featuring Kool & The Gang. During the game, The Pirates wore the uniforms of the Homestead Grays and the visiting Reds wore the Cincinnati Tigers uniforms. The Pirates and the Josh Gibson Foundation also awarded $1,500 continuing education student scholarships in a pregame ceremony. The recipients were Kelsey Miller of Pittsburgh CAPA (Howard University) and David Edmunds Jr. of Pittsburgh Brashear (California University of Pennsylvania).
For more information about the Pirates' African American Heritage Celebration, please contact Chaz Kellem at (412) 325-4731.
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 2013 Heritage Weekend Celebration, the Pittsburgh Pirates will present the "Pittsburgh Pirates Community Champion Award". This award is given to area individuals who are "champions" of their communities and have positively contributed to the betterment of the diverse community in our region.
Winners of the 2013 Community Champion Awards are: Von Madden, Bryan McCabe, Reggie Smith, Erica Hill, Amanda Thompson and Stanley Pittman.
The winners from 2012 were:
The winners from 2011 were:
The winners from 2010 were:
The winners from 2009 were:
The 2012 Pittsburgh Pirates African American Heritage Celebration at PNC Park was held June 8-9.
This annual event captured the essence of our community efforts and highlighted the contributions of African Americans in Pittsburgh.
The celebration included a weekend of promotions and special events that focused on honoring and recognizing African Americans in baseball while celebrating the African American culture in our community.
The Saturday, June 9 game included a special post-game FanJam concert featuring Boyz II Men.
The Pirates also hosted the 2012 African American Heritage Sports Luncheon on Friday, June 8 in the Lexus Club at PNC Park.
The Keynote Speaker was 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.
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.
