William Eldon O'Ree CM ONB (born October 15, 1935) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player from Fredericton, New Brunswick. He is widely recognized for being the first black player in the National Hockey League (NHL), playing as a winger for the Boston Bruins.

Feb 11, 2020 · In 1958, 11 years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball, O’Ree did the same in the National Hockey League. O’Ree was called up by the Boston Bruins to play...

Mar 19, 2016 · On January 18, 1958 Willie O'Ree became the first African -American to play in the National Hockey League. Willie says being the first black player came at a price. On Friday, Willie shared...

Feb 2, 2022 · On January 18, 1958, Willie O’Ree stepped onto the ice as a member of the Boston Bruins and changed the sport forever. O’Ree became the first Black player in the NHL, breaking the ‘color barrier’ in the process.

Jan 19, 2022 · Willie O'Ree made history in Boston once again on Tuesday night. Before the puck dropped between the Bruins and Hurricanes, Boston celebrated the first black player to play in an NHL game....

Feb 29, 2016 · In 1958, Willie O'Ree broke the NHL's color barrier as a Boston Bruin. He writes in the Players' Tribune about his moment in history.

Jan 12, 2021 · O'Ree, whose number will be retired, debuted when Boston only had two Black players across its major sports, and none yet on the Red Sox.

Feb 7, 2021 · Perhaps one of the most telling signs of this resistance is the fact that while O’Ree would break this critical social barrier with the Bruins two full years before the city’s MLB club, the Red Sox would accomplish the same.

May 18, 2021 · When O’Ree first played for the Bruins, baseball’s Boston Red Sox had yet to sign a Black player. But the city embraced the hard-working forward. Coach Milt Schmidt famously told reporters, “He’s not Black, he’s a Bruin.”

Jan 18, 2022 · As the Boston Bruins honoured Willie O’Ree on Tuesday night, people and organizations around the sports world joined in to congratulate the man who broke the NHL’s colour barrier.