You may have seen the Boston Red Sox put out a statement about racist fans recently. ESPN commentator Mike Wilbon also said the only time he's been called a N-word to his face was at Boston Celtics game. I know racism exists in other northern cities but it seems very prevalent in Boston. I heard it described as the Selma of the North. What's up with that?
There is plenty to write on this topic, but as a starter you might want to see this answer I wrote about the history of race relations in Boston in the 19th and 20th centuries.