Kansas City and Seattle are gearing up to celebrate Negro Leagues and Black History Month with some truly historic tributes. The Seattle Mariners are leading the way by honoring the 1946 Steelheads with replica uniforms on Sundays, a move that will make them the first MLB franchise to incorporate a Negro Leagues uniform into their regular rotation. But that's not all - Major League Baseball organizations in both cities are taking it a step further.
In Kansas City, the Royals Foundation is once again covering admission costs to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) for the entire month of February. This marks the fifth straight year the foundation has sponsored free entry, an effort originally launched to honor Black History Month and increase public engagement with the museum. The NLBM, founded in 1990, is the nation's only museum dedicated exclusively to preserving and celebrating the history of African-American baseball and its broader influence on American society.
The museum's president, Bob Kendrick, expressed his gratitude, saying, 'We can’t thank the Kansas City Royals and The Royals Foundation enough...'. The initiative has made the museum more accessible, especially for students from underserved communities, while encouraging visitors to learn from athletes who overcame tremendous social adversity to play the game they loved. Since the program began in 2022, more than 50,000 people have visited the museum during Free February, and the foundation's total contribution tied to the initiative now exceeds $435,000.
Royals chairman and CEO John Sherman called the effort a natural fit for the organization, emphasizing the importance of telling the story of the Negro Leagues far and wide. The museum will extend its hours throughout February, opening daily with earlier and weekend access to accommodate increased attendance.
On the West Coast, the Seattle Mariners are making waves with their own tribute. Beginning in the 2026 season, the club will wear replica uniforms honoring the 1946 Seattle Steelheads for Sunday home games, replacing the cream-colored Sunday uniforms they've worn since 2015. This move is a significant step forward in recognizing the legacy of the Negro Leagues.
The Mariners are also launching the Steelheads Community Fund, committing $500,000 to support Black-led baseball and softball programs and related community initiatives. Kevin Martinez, the Mariners' president of business operations, stated, 'We are proud to honor our game’s history and invest in the future of our community...'. These initiatives are a testament to the power of baseball in bringing communities together and preserving the rich history of the Negro Leagues.
