Willie O'Ree debuts for the Boston Bruins, becoming the first Black player in the National Hockey League.
At a Glance
- Date
- 18 January 1958
- Location
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Key people
- Willie O'Ree
- Category
- Sports
- Source
- NHL game records (1958) · Hockey Hall of Fame
What It Meant Then
He integrated professional hockey a decade after Jackie Robinson entered baseball.
What It Means Now
O'Ree is celebrated as hockey's pioneer of inclusion.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “Willie O'Ree Breaks the NHL Color Barrier.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/willie-oree-breaks-the-nhl-color-barrier/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). Willie O'Ree Breaks the NHL Color Barrier. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/willie-oree-breaks-the-nhl-color-barrier/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “Willie O'Ree Breaks the NHL Color Barrier.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/willie-oree-breaks-the-nhl-color-barrier/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.