BBVA Compass and the Houston Rockets collaborate on Black History Month Fireside Chat

– Chat: Chat included civil rights leaders Carlotta Walls LaNier and Lucille Bridges

– Attendees: 150 guests attended the event, including city and community leaders, students and bank and team representatives

– Game Component: Rockets and BBVA Compass will honor LaNier and Bridges during tonight’s game, as part of the Rockets Black History Night celebration

HOUSTON, Feb. 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — BBVA Compass and the Houston Rockets celebrated Black History Month today at Texas Southern University, hosting a Fireside Chat with civil rights leaders Carlotta Walls LaNier and Lucille Bridges.

The chat included 150 attendees, including city and community leaders such as Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, TSU students, and bank and team representatives. The conversation covered multiple topics, including LaNier’s and Bridges’ integral roles in helping integrate schools in the South.

“Our collaboration with the Houston Rockets consistently focuses on giving back to Houston and its communities,” said BBVA Compass Houston CEO Mark Montgomery. “This has been a particularly special initiative. These two women were pioneers in the Civil Rights Movement, and have lived by the ‘creating opportunities’ mantra their entire lives. Black History Month celebrates the undying courage of civil rights leaders whose accomplishments have echoed through the decades, cultivating social progress. We wanted to leverage our long-standing friendship with the Houston Rockets to proudly present this event and inspire those in attendance.”

Carlotta Walls LaNier was the youngest member of the Little Rock Nine, a group of African-American students, who in 1957, became the first to attend classes at Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas.  President Dwight D. Eisenhowerordered the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army to ensure that LaNier and her classmates could safely enter the school.  LaNier and the rest of the Little Rock Nine, were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by President Bill Clinton in 1999.

Lucille Bridges’ oldest daughter, Ruby, was six years old when she became the first African-American child to integrate a white Southern elementary school on Nov. 14, 1960.  They were accompanied by U.S. Marshals to protect them from protesters.  Ruby’s first day entering school is the is the subject of a 1964 painting, The Problem We All Live With, by Norman Rockwell.

In addition, during the Rockets’ game vs. the Miami Heat at 7 p.m. tonight, as part of the Rockets Black History Night celebration, the team will honor LaNier and Bridges on the court during game breaks.

To learn more about BBVA Compass, visit: www.bbvacompass.com

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About BBVA Group 
BBVA (NYSE: BBVA) is a customer-centric global financial services group founded in 1857. The Group has a strong leadership position in the Spanish market, is the largest financial institution in Mexico, it has leading franchises in South America and the Sunbelt Region of the United States; and it is also the leading shareholder in Garanti, Turkey’s biggest bank for market capitalization. Its diversified business is focused on high-growth markets and it relies on technology as a key sustainable competitive advantage. Corporate responsibility is at the core of its business model. BBVA fosters financial education and inclusion, and supports scientific research and culture. It operates with the highest integrity, a long-term vision and applies the best practices. More information about BBVA Group can be found at bbva.com.

About BBVA Compass 
BBVA Compass is a Sunbelt-based financial institution that operates 644 branches, including 331 in Texas, 89 in Alabama, 63 in Arizona, 61 in California, 45 in Florida, 37 in Colorado and 18 in New Mexico. BBVA Compass ranks among the top 25 largest U.S. commercial banks based on deposit market share and ranks among the largest banks in Alabama (2nd), Texas (4th) and Arizona (6th). BBVA Compass has been recognized as one of the leading small business lenders by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and ranked 8th nationally in terms of dollar volume of SBA loans originated in fiscal year 2018. Additional information about BBVA Compass can be found under the Investor Relations tab at bbvacompass.com. For more BBVA Compass news, follow @BBVACompassNews on Twitter, visit newsroom.bbvacompass.com, or visit bbva.com.

SOURCE BBVA Compass