Yesterday, the Atlanta Hawks announced an unprecedented partnership with the estate of civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) and Nike with the release of its 2020 –21 MLK Nike City Edition uniform.
For the first time in the league’s history, the initials of an individual will be featured prominently on the chest of an official NBA game uniform. The Hawks will be donating profits from the jersey sales back into the Atlanta community to help further initiatives championed by Dr. King.
Born and raised in Atlanta, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., became a global symbol of the fight for racial equality through his platform of non-violence. He attended his hometown’s historic Morehouse College, entering as a freshman when he was just 15 years old. While he continued to call Atlanta home, raising his family and pastoring at local churches like Ebenezer Baptist with his father, Dr. King led initiatives that caught
the attention of a worldwide audience, including the Montgomery Bus Boycotts, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and the March on Washington. The latter is where he made his watershed “I Have a Dream” speech, playing a significant role in his being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. His life and leadership were cut short at age of 39 by an assassin, as he organized for the rights of sanitation workers in Memphis.
“It is an incredible privilege to be able to represent the legacy of Dr. King, one of Atlanta’s native sons and one of the nation’s most transformative leaders. His message of equality, non-violence, and justice is as relevant today as it was in the 60s and we are proud to not only help educate legions of young fans about Dr. King’s work, but empower them to pick up his mantle and embody the change they wish to see in their communities,” said Hawks Chief Marketing Officer, Melissa Proctor. “We are honored that the King Estate would entrust us with these powerful initials.”
Deeply connected to the tenets of Dr. King’s social activism are the roots from which the Atlanta Hawks’ own civic work grows. The team has a well-demonstrated commitment to building bridges through basketball to help better the community. The Hawks’ ongoing efforts in addressing food insecurity, access to early voting, and entrepreneurial development are directly tied to crucial issues on which Dr. King focused, including racial equality, voting rights, and economic justice. In a franchise first, profits from the sale of the groundbreaking jersey will be given to programs that help to continue Dr. King’s work regarding economic empowerment for communities of color.
The 2020 – 21 Atlanta Hawks MLK Nike City Edition uniform pays homage to the world’s greatest “Drum Major for Justice” through personal elements woven into the design details and a thoughtfully selected color scheme. The uniform was created through a collaborative effort between the Nike design team, Hawks ownership, and the team’s CMO, Melissa Proctor, V.P. of Brand Creative Shirley Zhang, and V.P. of Brand Merchandising Amy Serino.
The Colorway:
• Infinity Black: This principal hue of the Atlanta Hawks Nike Statement Edition and City Edition uniforms denotes the team’s bold, relentless, and unapologetic approach to competition and community.
• Vintage Gold: The subtle and sedate golden tone highlights the reverence befitting the memory of a global icon and reflects an air of sophistication.
• Fidelity White: Dedication and loyalty to the great city of Atlanta along with the ideals of equality and compassion come through in this crisp and classic white.
The team will wear the MLK Nike City Edition uniforms at select games throughout the 2020-21 season. In conjunction with the MLK kit, a complimentary MLK City Edition-branded court for home games will extend the important recognition of Dr. King to the main floor of State Farm Arena. Mirroring the uniform colorway and stars detail, the court design will feature the stylized Hawks Primary Icon logo at the center which also incorporates the team’s core uniform colors – Torch Red and Legacy Yellow – in a mosaic pattern that continues the stained-glass motif.
To learn more about the Atlanta Hawks MLK Nike City Edition uniform and watch the launch video go to hawks.com/MLK.
