Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson

Introduction African Americans play a big part in professional sports today. For many years, however, black athletes weren't allowed to play with white athletes. Jackie Robinson helped change all that.

The Early Years Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born into a poor Georgia family in 1919.

In college, he was a star on his school's football, track, basketball, and baseball teams. His family had little money, however. He left college in 1941 to help support his family and did not finish.

Taking a Stand In December 1941, the United States entered a war. Like many young men, Robinson had to serve in the war. One day, he and a group of soldiers got on an army bus. The bus was segregated. White soldiers sat in the front and black soldiers in the back. Yet Robinson knew he was as good a soldier as the white men. He would not move to the back when he was told to. Robinson was arrested, but he had only stood up for what was right. He was let go.

You're Hired! After his time in the army, Robinson played baseball. In 1945, however, baseball was segregated, too. White and black athletes played in separate leagues.