For the transformative effect he had on the sport of basketball and on American culture more broadly, the late Kobe Bryant will be remembered with a new display at the Smithsonian Institution‘s National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington.
The display — featuring a Lakers jersey that Bryant wore during the 2008 NBA Finals — was installed in the museum on the National Mall last week and will be revealed to the public for the first time Monday, said Damion Thomas, the museum’s sports curator.
“We wanted to be able to share his impact,” Thomas said. “It really is about the cultural significance of basketball as an expression of the African American fight for greater rights.”
The display, which also features other jerseys and basketball items of historic significance, further cements Bryant’s presence at the museum, which already featured his image in its Sports Gallery. Bryant and his wife, Vanessa, also helped to build the museum with a $1-million donation from their foundation.
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