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. One African American-Jackie Robinson-changed all that. His courage made him a baseball hero and a champion for equal rights.

The Early Years Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born into a poor Georgia family in1919. 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 school.

Taking a Stand In December 1941, the United States entered a war. Like many young men at the time, Robinson was called up to serve in the U. S. Army. 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, Robinson was arrested, but many people defended him. He was a good soldier who had only stood up for what was right. In the end, he was found not guilty.

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. Robinson felt that baseball leagues should not be separate based on race. So did Branch Rickey, the man who ran the Brooklyn Dodgers. Rickey wanted the Dodgers to be the first white team to include a black player. Rickey knew that this player would not only have to be a great athlete. He would also have to face abuse because of his race.

Rickey hired Robinson. He had one condition, though. Robinson could not respond to any of the abuse. Instead, Robinson would fight prejudice by playing great baseball.