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\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tby Mary Spiller <\/a><\/p>\n February 1, 2026<\/p>\n Seattle Mariners are honoring Negro Leagues\u2019 1946 Steelheads by wearing replica uniforms on Sundays.<\/p>\n Major League Baseball organizations in Kansas City and Seattle are spotlighting<\/a> the legacy of the Negro Leagues through expanded access, historic tributes and new community investments tied to Black History Month.<\/p>\n In Kansas City, the Royals Foundation will again cover admission costs to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) for the entire month of February. The program 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.<\/p>\n The NLBM, founded in 1990, is the nation\u2019s only museum dedicated exclusively to preserving and celebrating the history of African-American baseball and its broader influence on American society. Located in Kansas City\u2019s historic 18th and Vine Jazz District, the museum sits just blocks from the Paseo YMCA, where Andrew \u201cRube\u201d Foster formed the Negro National League in 1920.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can\u2019t thank the Kansas City Royals and The Royals Foundation enough for once again opening the doors of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum free of charge for the entire month of February and we look forward to seeing the turnstiles spinning,\u201d said NLBM president Bob Kendrick. He noted that the initiative makes the museum more accessible, especially for students from underserved communities, while encouraging visitors to learn from athletes who overcame \u201ctremendous social adversity to play the game they loved.\u201d<\/p>\n Since the program began in 2022, more than 50,000 people have visited the museum during Free February, according to the Royals. The foundation\u2019s total contribution tied to the initiative now exceeds $435,000.<\/p>\n Royals chairman and CEO John Sherman called the effort a natural fit for the organization. \u201cThat institution \u2013 we think it\u2019s an important story that needs to be told, far and wide,\u201d Sherman said. \u201cIt\u2019s a pretty simple thing for us to do.\u201d He added that the Royals\u2019 broader investments in the surrounding neighborhood and support for the museum\u2019s expansion made driving attendance \u201cthe right thing to do.\u201d<\/p>\n The museum will extend its hours throughout February, opening daily with earlier and weekend access to accommodate increased attendance.<\/p>\n