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2022 Bostonian of the Year

Jeneé Osterheldt

The enduring promise of Bill Russell, a giant of Celtics basketball and American civil rights

Bill Russell knew racism is a hate that scars generations if you don’t name it, face it, and change it.

As told to Adam Himmelsbach
‘To me, he was always just Daddy’: Karen Kenyatta Russell on her father’s lessons
His full name, William Felton Russell, really had gravitas. And my grandmother didn’t choose it just because it sounded nice.

As told to Dan Shaughnessy

‘He was a great teammate — outstanding teammate’: Hall of Famer Satch Sanders on Bill Russell

Plus, current Celtics star Jaylen Brown on Russell’s lasting impact.
Gary Washburn

Feeling the brunt of staggering racism, Bill Russell always stood tall

He felt he was good enough to perform on the floor for fans in Boston, but would he be welcome into their homes? Would they allow their kids to play with his?
Adrian Walker

Bill Russell’s legacy of lonely courage in the fight against hate

One of the last indelible images of the historic life of Bill Russell depicted him taking a knee.
Bob Ryan

Bill Russell: The best there ever was, on the court and off

Bill Russell won and (on the few occasions it actually happened) lost with class and dignity.

Honorable mentions

A political stunt sent 49 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard. Open arms welcomed them.

At the start of the sleepy off-season, all of these year-round islanders were about to be thrust into an international news story.

Out of tragedy, she found the tenacity to change abortion law

Kate Dineen’s story is as heart wrenching as it is infuriating, and it is ultimately a beacon in a year in which so many women around the country lost reproductive rights.

She was accused of witchcraft 329 years ago. These middle schoolers finally cleared her name.

This summer Elizabeth Johnson Jr. was finally exonerated, thanks to the efforts of a North Andover middle-school civics class and their teacher.

How Boston baristas are leading a nationwide fight to unionize Starbucks shops

Workers at two cafes, in Allston and Brookline, followed in the footsteps of those in Buffalo, New York, last December and became two of the first locations nationwide to join the Workers United Labor Union.

Patriot Devin McCourty’s on-field performance is matched only by his generosity

There’s far more to McCourty than Pro Bowl honors and 12 seasons as a team captain. His achievements in football are matched only by his résumé of philanthropy.

Rob and Karen Hale: The couple who gave $1 million to charity every week this year

The gifts broke fund-raising records for the organizations that operate on shoestring budgets and allowed them to create endowments that would sustain them for the foreseeable future.

some Past honorees

The People's Scientist
Immunologist Kizzmekia Corbett’s work represents the best of what science offered us in 2021
Years’ worth of dedicated research, including hers, is paying off in lifesaving shots in arms and conversations with people who have questions. For Corbett, science and community cannot be separated.

The changemaker
School pick up, family dinners, bean bags at City Hall. Michelle Wu doesn’t want people to forget her other title: ‘Mama’
With her sweeping election victory, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu ushered in a new era of local politics.

2020 Bostonians of the Year: The Front Line

They stood up to fight the twin pandemics of COVID-19 and racial injustice. Meet the people leading us through a harrowing year.

Meet the 2019 Bostonians of the Year: Andrew Lelling and Rachael Rollins

These fiercely dedicated prosecutors don’t agree on much, except this: Justice needs to be for everyone.

Meet the 2018 Bostonians of the Year: Ayanna Pressley and Alex Cora

She’s the first African-American woman to represent Massachusetts in Congress. He’s the first manager of color in Red Sox history. Both are blazing bold paths forward grounded in smart strategy.