Jackie Robinson: an agent for change - Student Reproducible

DEAR STUDENT:

Let's Look back in time. In 1945, blacks and whites were kept apart, or segregated, by "Jim Crow Laws." These laws set up separate schools, hotels, bathrooms, buses--even water fountains--and also denied African Americans the right to vote.

Professional sports were segregated as well. Black baseball, football, and basketball players played in separate leagues. Since Major League Baseball was considered America's national pastime, it was under the greatest amount of pressure to change.

Branch Rickey, president of the Brooklyn Dodgers, wanted to break the color barrier in Major League Baseball. My father, Jackie Robinson, was chosen by Branch Rickey to pioneer this effort because he was both an amazing college athlete--starring in football, basketball, and track & field, as well as baseball--and a man with the values and strength of character to do the job.

Jackie Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia, on January 31, 1919. His grandparents had been slaves; his parents, Mallie and Jerry Robinson, were sharecroppers. After her husband abandoned the family, Mallie took her five children to Pasadena, California, where she worked two jobs to support them. While growing up, my father experienced discrimination. For example, he was not allowed to swim in the public swimming pool with white children because of the color of his skin. He felt left out and wanted to do something about this injustice. Many experiences like this one helped Jackie Robinson develop a lifelong commitment to social change.

The more Branch Rickey learned about my father, the more he felt that he was the right man to integrate baseball Branch Rickey sent scouts to watch my father play with the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro American Baseball League. In the Monarchs' 100-game season, my father batted .340. His ability on the field, coupled with a personal interview, convinced Branch Rickey that Jackie Robinson was the player he had been looking for. My father's commitment to breaking the color barrier allowed him to play his best, despite name-calling and racist remarks.

Branch Rickey signed Jackie Robinson to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers' top minor league team, the Montreal Royals, for the 1946 season. That year, he batted .349 and stole 40 bases.

In April of 1947, Jackie Robinson took the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers, becoming the first black player in the Majors since 1884. He quickly became a star, winning Rookie of the Year, batting .297, and leading the league with 29 stolen bases. In 1949, he was voted Most Valuable Player. In 1955, he helped the Dodgers win their first World Series. His lifetime batting average was .311. In 1962, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, becoming the first black player to join baseball's all-time best.

After Jackie Robinson retired from baseball, his arena for social change shifted from the playing field to business, civil rights, and politics. He started the Freedom National Bank in Harlem, the first black-owned bank in New York City. He was a spokesperson for the NAACP, the nation's major Civil Rights organization, and he wrote several books.

My father died on October 24, 1972. His own words on his graveside marker reflect his lifelong philosophy: "A life is not important except in the impact it has on others' lives."

Sharon Robinson

Author of Jackie's Nine

Vice President of Educational Programming

Major League Baseball

RELATED ARTICLE: Jackie Robinson's Values to Live By

COURAGE

Doing what you know is the right thing even when it is hard to do.

DETERMINATION

Choosing to stick to a plan or course of action, and staying focused on that plan, even though the path to its end is difficult.

TEAMWORK

Working with other people toward a common goal.

PERSISTENCE

Working toward a goal and continuing to move forward even though you face obstacles or barriers.

INTEGRITY

Upholding your values, regardless of what others think you should do.

CITIZENSHIP

Making a contribution that improves the lives of others.

JUSTICE

Treating all people fairly, no matter who they are.

COMMITMENT

Making a promise and following through on it.

EXCELLENCE

Doing the best that you possibly can.

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