Jackie Robinson Civil Rights Movement: Breaking Barriers and Inspiring Change

Have you ever been told not to play a game? Jackie Robinson got told that every time he stepped on the field. His teammates and the fans told him that all the time. But still, with all that hate, he ended up being the player on the field every time he stepped on the field. Jackie Robinson was always trying to stop racism, so his family is now encouraging more African families to stand up if they get told they can’t do something.

Civil Rights and Sports Intersection

The world was at a bad time. So people went on the civil rights movement to try and stop racism and become equal to white people. African American people couldn’t drink from the same water fountain; African American people had to sit at the back of the bus. It was a time of hate. So Jackie Robinson became a vocal leader for African-American athletes. In 1952, he called out the New York Yankees as a racist organization for not having broken the color barrier five years after he began playing with the Dodgers.

Early Life and Personal Background

Jackie Robinson was born on January 31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgia. He was the youngest of 5 children.

His brothers and sisters were Mack Robinson, Mack Robinson, Willa Mae Robinson? , and Frank Robinson. He lived in poverty with his mom and his brothers and sisters. They were the only black family on the block, so they had to stick together. ?In the early 1940s, Robinson met nurse-in-training Rachel Isum when they were both attending UCLA. The couple was married on February 10, 1946. Jackie and Rachel had three children together. Jack, Sharon, and David. Rachel said that she and Jackie went to great lengths to create a home that sheltered their kids from racism.

Collegiate Career and Army Service

Jackie Robinson went to the University of California, Los Angeles/ UCLA. When he went to UCLA, he was the best athlete at his school. He won awards in football, basketball, track, and baseball. ?In 1941, he was named to the All-American football team, but due to debt and financial issues, he had to leave school and join the army. After two years in the army, he was moved up to second lieutenant. His army career was about to end because he was court-martialed because he would not give up his seat and move to the back of the bus.

Professional Baseball Journey

After his army career, he went back to sports. He played for the Honolulu Bears. He only played one season with them because World War 2 was about to begin. After the war, he went and played baseball in the negro league, but not long he was picked up by the Brooklyn Dodgers in April. Unfortunately, he was the first-ever African-American man to play in the MLB, so he would go on. Opposing teams would not want to play against him; even his teammates would not play with him. The crowds would boo him. Every time he stepped on the field, he and his family received death threats. But even with all that hate, he ended up being the best baseball player every time he stepped on the field.

Legacy and Continued Activism

Jackie Robinson in his life showed rights and responsibilities. He did this by being a vocal leader for African-American leaders. He told people if they ever got told they couldn’t play this sport, speak up! The most important thing he did was? his work as an activist for social change. He also helped establish the African-American-owned Freedom Bank. When I started typing my paper, I thought how cool he was. He was the first African American to play baseball, he was a vocal leader for those who were shy to talk, and he even built an African-American freedom bank.? He even dealt with constant hate from teams, fans, and even his teammates. But the most important thing he did was to try to stop and end racism, and in the end, he did. Robinson soon became a hero of the sport, ?even among former critics. His success in the major leagues opened the door for other African-American players.

Works Cited

1. Rampersad, A. (1997). Jackie Robinson: A Biography. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
2. Carson, C. (1981). In Struggle: SNCC and the Black Awakening of the 1960s. Harvard University Press.
3. Robinson, S. (1996). Jackie’s Nine: Jackie Robinson’s Values to Live By. New York: Scholastic.
4. Long, M. H. (2004). First Class Citizenship: The Civil Rights Letters of Jackie Robinson. New York: Times Books.
5. Dorinson, J., & Warmund, J. (1998). Jackie Robinson: Race, Sports, and the American Dream. M.E. Sharpe.

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