YOUNGSTOWN — Premier Bank and the Robinson-Shuba Commemorative Statue Project Committee announced a grant of $15,000 from the bank’s charitable foundation to support the statue planned for downtown Youngstown.

“We are pleased to support this statue and the important statement it will make about racial equality,” said Frank Hierro, Premier Bank Mahoning Valley regional president. “The principles of equality, fairness and teamwork are important to Premier Bank and our foundation; we’re looking forward to seeing this statue in Wean Park.”

The larger-than-life bronze statue will portray the 1946 handshake at home plate between Jackie Robinson, the first African-American allowed to compete in mainstream professional baseball, and George Shuba, his white teammate from Youngstown.

Shuba stepped up from the on-deck circle to shake Robinson’s hand after two other teammates who scored on Robinson’s three-run homer in his debut game didn’t wait at home to greet him. Shuba’s gesture of acceptance during a period of open racism marked the start of racial integration in professional baseball and, eventually, much of American life.

Plans call for the Robinson-Shuba statue to be dedicated on April 18, 2021, the 75th anniversary of the handshake. The statue in Wean Park, between the Covelli Center and Youngstown Foundation Amphitheatre, will stand nearly 7 feet tall above its base and be surrounded by seating that supports programming about racial equality.

Marc Mellon, the world-class Connecticut sculptor working on the statue, is known for works that have honored Pope John Paul II, President George H. W. Bush, President Barack Obama and many award-winning athletes.

Since announcing the statue project in late November 2019, the project committee has raised more than $236,000 toward its $400,000 goal. More information about the statue project can be found at www.robinsonshuba.org.