As Black History Month began earlier this week, blacks and even whites look back on the influential black figures in U.S history. Willie O'ree is a perfect example of someone that people look back on and respect for his actions. But people do not just look back on the past, some have moved on towards the future to fulfill their dreams just like O'ree had done. Many black hockey players were inspired from Willie O'ree and that lead to an increase in black hockey players. Some people that O'ree has personally influenced to make it to the NHL are Jerome Iginla, Joel Ward and PK Subban.