In a statement late Monday morning, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh called a since-deleted tweet by the city’s police department “completely inappropriate and a gross misrepresentation of how we are honoring Black History Month in Boston.”
Boston police apologized early Monday morning for the tweet, which honored former Celtics coach and president Red Auerbach for Black History Month. Auerbach, of course, was white, and the tweet was widely criticized for overlooking the accomplishments of black people.
In contrast, Walsh’s statement Monday highlighted the achievements and contributions of prominent local black leaders. The mayor called for those “leaders, activists and trailblazers” to be honored “every month of the year.