• SOX NOT RUNNING FROM RACIST PAST,

A large black banner, rolled up and stashed at the bottom of a backpack, passed undetected through Fenway Park security and was carried to the top of the Green Monster, where it thrust the Red Sox back to the forefront of a national and local conversation about racial injustice and inequality.

The hot-button issue might have been forced on the Red Sox, but the Red Sox embraced it yet again.

“Look, we’re a part of the national dialogue when these types of things seep into professional sports,” team president Sam Kennedy told WEEI yesterday.

“We have very highprofile venues. We have very high-profile athletes. But let me say this about Boston and the state of Massachusetts: We are extremely proud to live here and be here. I’ve said this before, I’ll say it again, that racism exists globally. It exists all over North America, and there are unfortunately people that harbor those feelings everywhere.”

Boston’s own racial issues have become a persistent talking point around the Red Sox, a team with three black outfielders, an international group of infielders and a multicultural clubhouse.

From Orioles outfielder Adam Jones calling out fans’ racist slurs, to owner John Henry reopening the debate about former owner Tom Yawkey’s racist legacy, to Wednesday’s night’s “Racism is as American as baseball” banner unfurled during the fourth inning, the Red Sox have not been able to avoid the topic this season.

But they haven’t tried to avoid it either.

Now, with the backdrop of Wednesday’s banner fresh in the public mind, the Red Sox are about to join the Patriots, Celtics, Bruins and Revolution in a PSA that will debut at a Sept. 28 event at Fenway Park called “Take the Lead,” to address racism, hate speech and intolerance.

“All I can speak from is my own experiences,” manager John Farrell said. “I firmly believe that there is no place for racism. We have the benefit of working in such a multicultural, multiethnic group. It’s reflected in our clubhouse. And there’s so many good things that come from that. But it’s unfortunate that you see examples of it.

“Personally, again, I believe there’s no place for it. And I believe as an organization, we try to do everything we can for inclusion with all races, all creeds and all orientations. So, that’s where I speak from.”

A disruptive sign in the middle of a ballgame will not be tolerated. As for the message of such a sign, that’s something the Red Sox seem willing to embrace. They might not have the answers, but if they can be a platform for such a dialogue, so be it.

“… It’s clearly a reflection of a larger conversation,” Kennedy said.