The song, a collaboration between Capitals officials and Saukrates, pays homage to Mike Marson (1974-79), who became the second Black player in the NHL, 16 years after Willie O'Ree debuted with the Boston Bruins on Jan. 18, 1958; Bill Riley (1974-79); Reginald Savage (1990-93), Anson Carter (1996-97, 2003-04), Mike Grier (2002-04), Jason Doig (2002-04), Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre (2003-04), Donald Brashear (2006-09), Joel Ward (2011-15), Madison Bowey (2017-19) and Devante Smith-Pelly (2017-19).
The tune also gives lyrical nods to Black Washington culture from its famous eateries and venues to the pioneers of the distinctly District Go-Go music sound to the Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Club, North America's oldest minority-oriented youth hockey program.
"This song is a unique way to honor an extremely important part of our organization's history with Black alumni and various tie-ins to Washington, D.C.," said Amanda Tischler, the Capitals senior vice president of marketing. "We can't wait for fans to be able to hear and appreciate it."
Alexandria Briggs-Blake came up with the idea for the song. She's a member of the Capitals Black Hockey Committee and president of the Tucker Road Parent Hockey Organization, a suburban Washington minority-oriented youth hockey group.
Briggs-Blake said she thought it would be a good way to help educate people who haven't had the opportunity to see the Capitals' Black hockey exhibit permanently on display inside Capital One Arena.
She was inspired by a song performed by actor Malcolm Jamal Warner that honored Black historical figures.
"I heard that and immediately thought, 'We could do something like this to pay tribute to Black Washington Capitals hockey players,'" she said. "I pitched the idea to the Capitals, and they said, 'Yeah, that sounds good, let's see what you can come with.' So I got my poetic skills working and I wrote a tribute to each of the players."