Capitals unveil Black History Month jersey designed by The Museum DC

ARLINGTON, Va. - The Museum DC has designed an exclusive Black History Month jersey for one of the hottest teams in the NHL, the Washington Capitals.

The jersey seamlessly blends D.C. culture with African heritage and hockey tradition. It was unveiled during the Capitals’ "Celebrating Black History – Pathways to Hockey" panel Wednesday, held in conjunction with Howard University at MedStar Capitals Iceplex.

The collaboration is a milestone for The Museum DC, a fashion and art boutique with locations in Northeast and Southeast, D.C. 

"From a design perspective, we really wanted to leave out more, but then we thought, ‘Let's throw as much energy into it, so people see these years down the line.’ We wanted to set the tone," said lead designer Nyric Lee, sharing the vision behind the jersey. 

The Museum DC co-founder Legregg Harrison (L), and the clothing brand's lead designer Nyric Lee (R). 

The jersey incorporates the Pan-African colors — red, yellow, and green — alongside a kente print, a nod to African culture and community. The right shoulder patch features The Museum DC’s logo, its colors representing the original Washington Metro rail lines, unifying the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia regions. The left shoulder bears the Capitals’ 50th-anniversary secondary logo, and the numbers on the back incorporate the kente pattern as a homage to Black history and HBCUs.

"The kente print represents royalty, beauty, and power in African culture. We subbed the Pan-African colorway with colors in our logo that reflect the Metro system, symbolizing unity in the DMV," said Museum DC owner Legregg Harrison.

In July 2024, the Capitals reached out to The Museum DC unexpectedly. 

"They shot an email to us while we were riding in the car. We pulled over immediately," Lee recalled. 

"They said, ‘You’re all the buzz in the office. We have to do something with you guys,'" Harrison added.  

Seeing Alexander Ovechkin sport the jersey in a promotional video was an emotional moment. 

"We almost shed a tear," Harrison said. "To see one of the greatest hockey players ever wear our jersey — I'm still trying to process it."

The partnership also highlights hockey’s growing embrace of hip-hop culture. 

"Our culture moves the needle," Lee noted. "There are people who may have never watched a hockey game, but now they see a brand like us involved. It makes them think, ‘Maybe I should check out a game, or even sign my kid up.’"

Unfortunately, the jerseys will not go on sale to the public. Instead, they will be available through a Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation auction. The auction will feature an autographed jersey by every player on the Capitals roster. It’s live now at washcaps.com/BHAuction and will conclude on Feb. 23 with proceeds going toward the Capital Impact Fund.

While the Caps won’t wear these threads during a game, on Feb. 23 they will arrive at the arena in them. Last season’s Black History Month auction raised $41,450.

Members of the Howard University Figure Skating Club, the first of its kind at an HBCU, attended the jersey unveiling and panel discussion. 

Junior psychology and African studies major Toni Smith called the moment "amazing," highlighting the importance of increasing Black representation in ice sports. 

"I played hockey growing up, so this is a big deal," she said.

Senior psychology major Maya James, who co-founded the figure skating club, shared a similar sentiment. 

"I grew up figure skating but never saw anyone who looked like me. When I came to Howard, I wanted to create a space where we could skate together as a community," James said. 

The jersey unveiling aligns with the Capitals’ broader efforts to celebrate Black history and promote diversity in hockey. 

The panel featured Capitals alumnus and Monumental Sports Network analyst Devante Smith-Pelly, Howard alumnus and MNMT reporter Tarik El-Bashir, Tennessee State University head ice hockey coach Duante’ Abercrombie, plus Lee and Harrison.

Following the event, attendees were invited to lace up their skates and take the ice at the team's practice facility.