BPC and National Museum of African American Music Unite for Black History Month Digital Exhibit Celebrating Soccer as Sound
NASHVILLE, TN (February 19, 2026)— Black Players for Change (BPC) — the coalition of Black Players in Major League Soccer — today announced a new cultural partnership with the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) that reframes Black History Month through an innovative digital exhibit entitled “The Soundtrack of the Pitch.” The collaboration explores the powerful connection between Black musical traditions and the creativity, rhythm, and expression of Black soccer players on the field.
Launching February 2026, The Soundtrack of the Pitch positions the soccer pitch as another stage in the Black creative canon: where movement, tempo, and style echo the influence of jazz, soul, hip-hop, and gospel. Through a series of digital activations, the partnership spotlights how Black athletes carry cultural expression beyond music and into sport.
“At its core, this partnership is about lineage,” said Allen Hopkins, Jr., Black Players for Change Executive Director. “The same creativity that shapes Black music also lives in the way our players move, perform, and express themselves on the pitch. This collaboration allows us to tell that story in a way that feels authentic, modern, and culturally resonant.”
Among the highlights, NMAAM will host a digital gallery experience featuring select BPC players through curated “Sonic Profiles,” pairing archival sounds from Black music history with contemporary soccer imagery. The experience will culminate with a curated playlist developed by BPC players in collaboration with NMAAM, extending the narrative from visual storytelling to sound.
“This partnership reflects NMAAM’s mission to preserve, educate, and celebrate Black music as a living, evolving force,” said Dexter Evans, Deputy Director of Development, National Museum of African American Music. “By connecting music history to modern athletic expression, we’re inviting new audiences to see, and hear, Black creativity in unexpected ways.”
The Soundtrack of the Pitch will be available online beginning February 2026, with content rolling out across NMAAM and BPC digital platforms throughout the remainder of Black History Month.
For more information, visit nmaam.org
About Black Players for Change
Black Players for Change (BPC) is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization consisting of Black players, coaches and staff from Major League Soccer, working to bridge the racial equality gap that exists in society. BPC is committed to tackling the racial injustices that have limited Black people from having an equitable stake in the game of soccer and society. Among the many goals, the organization strives to advance the attention on human rights inequalities from protest to programs, partnerships, and policies that address systemic discrimination.
About the National Museum of African American Music
The National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) is the only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating the legacies of many music genres created and inspired by African Americans, from spirituals and gospel to jazz, blues, hip-hop, and R&B.
The National Museum of African American Music broke ground in early 2017 and opened its doors in 2021. Since then, NMAAM has welcomed visitors from across the country and around the world and has become a cultural landmark in the heart of Music City. It offers an experience that connects people through the power and legacy of African American music.
