Essay Prompt: You have just read and viewed three sources discussing Jackie Robinson as a successful civil rights advocate. Write an informative essay that uses textual evidence to explain his contributions to the advancement of the Civil Rights Movement. Be sure to use all three texts to support your ideas.
Jackie Robinson was one of the most influential Civil Rights Advocates during the Civil Rights Movements in the early to mid 1900’s. Ever since Jackie Robinson entered the league in 1947 to when his career ended in 1957, he has allowed minorities and other fellow African-Americans to join the league. After his career ended, Jackie joined Martin Luther King Jr. in the non-violent campaign in Birmingham in 1963.
When Jackie was young he was discriminated against by everyone. “...he was arrested after disputing the police’s detention of one of his black friends…(Paragraph 1, Excerpt from How Jackie Robinson Changed Baseball)”, “...Robinson boarded a non-segregated bus, but he was instructed to sit in the back anyway, he refused, and military police
…show more content…
“...shattering the so called color barrier, a 50 year old tradition of segregation(00:0:25-00:0:31, Jackie Robinson Mini-Bio)”,”Robinson’s success have opened the floodgates for fellow African-Americans, within the first five years of his career, another 150 black baseball players have been signed to minor and major leagues(00:2:24-00:2:39, Jackie Robinson Mini-Bio),”. Jackie Robinson helped America open their eyes and see how African-Americans are good at sports too and they should be able to play in the same league as white people do, Jackie also later became acquainted with Martin Luther King Jr. in his non-violent campaigns in America. Jackie helped end segregation and discrimination in
To the average person, in the average American community, Jackie Robinson was just what the sports pages said he was, no more, no less. He was the first Negro to play baseball in the major leagues. Everybody knew that, but to see the real Jackie Robinson, you must de-emphasize him as a ball player and emphasize him as a civil rights leader. That part drops out, that which people forget. From his early army days, until well after his baseball days, Robinson had fought to achieve equality among whites and blacks. "Jackie acted out the philosophy of nonviolence of Martin Luther King Jr., before the future civil rights leader had thought of applying it to the problem of segregation in America"(Weidhorn 93). Robinson was an avid
Jackie Roosevelt Robinson was a very important person in The Civil Rights Movement as he was the first African American man to play in Major League Baseball (MLB). Though Jackie was a star in football and baseball as a child he faced a lot of racism, people would cheer for him on the field but off it he was ridiculed and seen as worthless because of his skin color. Even as an adult in the Minor Leagues people threatened, and even threw things at him. Some teams didn’t show at games through shame of playing an African American. Through all of the racism Jackie stayed strong and ended up winning more rights for African Americans along with 137 home runs, 197 stolen bases, a .311 batting average, and a National League
Jackie proved that blacks and whites were equal they can play the same sports and played a big part in the change of baseball and even has a day where everyone wheres 42 to honor him. Jackie was a great player he even got elected in the hall of fame “Jackie was elected in the hall of fame in 1962” (Baseball.org). Jackie had a lot of troubles going through the racial discrimination but he had a lot of help by his good friend Pee Wee Reese he became friends with jackie and guided him through the baseball and how to ignore the haters for example “Cincinnati fans were giving Robinson a particularly tough time as the Dodgers took the field in the bottom of the first. In a show of support, Reese temporarily left his position at shortstop and traveled over to Robinson at first base and put his arm around the rookie, silencing the crowd, which was awed by the act of racial empathy by Reese, a popular All-Star from nearby Kentucky.”. Jackie gave a lot of credit to Pee Wee and how much he helped
Robinson had attended UCLA and played baseball; he played for the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro League while he stood up to a gas station worker for his right to be able to use the restroom (Andersen). Robinson played so well with the Monarchs that he got a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers and became the first non-white baseball player ("Robinson, Jackie | The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute"). He took multiple insults from fans and his teammates in his first few games, but his drive and determination helped them learn he wasn't trying to harm baseball. He attempted to open it and help others in the sport get opportunities ("Robinson, Jackie | The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute"). Jackie was able to succeed in winning his rights: "When [He] took the field, something reminded us of our birthright to be free" ("Jackie Robinson - Facts, Quotes & Stats | HISTORY").
Segregation, discrimination, slavery and being bound by the Jim Crow Laws were an era that many African Americans were subjected to. So many things have changed over the last 60 years that it is hard to believe that such ignorance even existed. It was people like Jackie Robinson that made a difference and assisted in the change that we know today as equal opportunity regardless of race, color or religion. Jackie Robinson was a sports pioneer of the Civil Rights Movement and best known for becoming the first African-American to play professional baseball in the major leagues. Jackie Robinson was a man who faced adversity, his entire life.
It wasn’t easy for Jackie Robinson as he faced discrimination from fellow teammates, players, and fans. In paragraph three, the text states, “my own teammates refused to accept me because I was black. I had been forced to live with snubs and rebuffs and rejections.” Even though Jackie Robinson was hated and treated badly by other people, he responded in a very different way than others would respond. Jackie cept his cool and proved himself in games. In paragraph 10, the text states, “It was one thing for me out there on the playing field to be able to keep my cool in the face of insults.” Jackie Robinson was not only a role model for his country, but for the African American community. In paragraph ten, the text states, “Suppressed and repressed for so many years, they needed a victorious black man as a symbol. It would help them believe in themselves.” In conclusion, Jackie Robinson impacted the United States in a positive way because he paved the way for African American players to play in the Major
Jackie Robinson brought baseball fans of all races together and it improved race relations because even though their was still hatred, white people were getting eased into racial integration since Jackie Robinson was laying the foundations of civil rights. Robinson was loved by many and hated by plenty, every game he played he packed the stands whether it be fans who are cheering for him or booing him. According to the biography by Wilson “Many fans came out to cheer Robinson, and a lot came out to boo him but both groups bought tickets” (75). He performed so well on the baseball field that the fans would lose sight of his color, and the stands were predominantly white so he was doing so well with a very unsupportive fan base. In the biography
With the same idea as Martin Luther King Jr., he worked hard to stay non-violent and to “turn the cheek” to the many threats and racial slurs he received throughout his time in the Major League. He was the target of many cold-hearted fans, and even some of the players on his own team. He was already born a leader, but these things fueled his fire even more. 5 years after he began playing in the MLB, he testified against discrimination before the House of Un-American Activities Committee and called out the Yankees for not yet breaking the color barrier. Along with that, he also served as a leader on the board of the NAACP until 1967.(www.NAACP.org) There, he made speeches that inspired people to get on board and to fight for their rights and for changes. He said, “Certainly if such revolutionary change can be brought about in baseball, it can be brought about in education, in transportation, and in any other area of American life. (Robinson) He believed that change was just around the corner, and all it needed was a little push. Jackie was a firm believer in his ideas and that is why he is such an important figure in our
Jackie Roosevelt Robinson was born on January 31st 1919. In 1947, at the age of 28, Jackie became the first African American to break the “color line” of Major League Baseball when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers. During his tenure with the Dodgers, Jackie was not simply an average player. Among various other accolades, Mr. Robinson was a starter on six World Series teams as well as being named the National League Rookie of The Year in 1947. His advantageous career was then capped in 1962 when he was inducted in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.1 Contrary to popular belief, Jackie's perseverance in implementing racial integration extended beyond his career in Major League Baseball. During the Sixties Jackie Robinson was a
The legacy of Jackie Robinson goes beyond the April 15, 1947 afternoon at Ebbets Field, when the Brooklyn Dodger infielder became the first black in the 20th century to play baseball in the major leagues. He changed the sport, and he changed the attitude of a lot of people in this country, Jackie Robinson fought for all the people that were fortunate, a lot of them are, especially the minority guys, to be able to play in the major leagues and the impact on the people of color today.
Jackie Robinson was a very important man to American history because he was the first black major league baseball player. Some might think it was easy for Jackie Robinson, but it was quite the opposite. He received stacks of hate mail, threats to his family, and even some of his own teammates didn’t accept him, but he didn’t stop trying. There were some good things that came with this though, black people supported him with total loyalty and there were many kids and some adults that didn’t
Civil rights was an important American issue through the late 40s through the 60s. During this time period Baseball was “America’s Pastime, “and a major social get together for white Americans. However in 1947 both of these event were combined when the Brooklyn Dodgers gave Jackie Robinson a chance to play professional baseball. Jackie Robinson is the target of my biography. Robinson not only was the first African American baseball player, but he also had a hall of fame career, and eventually had his number retired by all of Major League Baseball. It is important to know about him because he helped accelerate the civil rights movement in America. Although his entrance was brutal with the abuse he received and the obscenities that were yelled at him. He helped the transition to not only make African Americans accepted in professional sports, but also to help the acceptance of African Americans in the civil rights movement.
The Major League Baseball (MLB) was a segregated organization until Jackie Robinson came along. Jackie Robinson was the first African-American to play in the MLB. Before Jackie, all African-Americans had to play in the Negro Leagues because they were not allowed in the MLB. Jackie Joined the league in 1947 and got a lot of backlash from fans. People did not want him to play because they thought that he was not good enough or that he was not worthy enough because of his race. Jackie and his family would get death threats from angry whites that wanted him out of the league. His house and belongings would get vandalized and destroyed. People would verbally and physically abuse him but Jackie would stand strong and take it like a real man. Despite the amount of hatred and backlash Jackie Robinson endured his first year in the league, he was named Rookie of the Year for the National League. Jackie Robinson was a very important role model for African-Americans, he showed bravery, courage, and determination.
Jackie Robinson was one of the most historically well known people in the civil rights movement. So as the first man to integrate major league baseball, Jackie Robinson had a game changing impact on the way the game was played. Having the courage to fight for what is right, Jackie broke the imaginary color barrier that has covered major league baseball for years. Through his resiliency and tenaciousness in the face of seemingly unconquerable odds, Jackie Robinson set the course for African Americans to continue the expansion for equality and true freedom while he was becoming one of the greatest Major League baseball players in history.
Jackie was a phenomenal athlete for young kids to look up to. After the start of World War II he served in the military from 1942 to 1944. After the war he returned to his love for baseball, playing in the Black major leagues. He was chosen by Branch Rickey, vice president of the Brooklyn dodgers, to help integrate the Major Leagues. Rickey hated segregation just as much as Robinson and wanted to change things “Rickey had once seen a Black college player turned away from a hotel… Rickey never forgot seeing this player crying because he was denied a place to lay his weary head just because of the color of his skin” (Mackenzie). He was finally able to do something about segregation and help change baseball and the United States for the better. It wasn’t that all the teams were racist and didn’t want a black player but when the major league teams had an away game they would rent out the stadium to the black teams for them to play at. And the executives of teams didn’t want to loose the money that they were making off of the black teams. “League owners would lose significant rental revenue” (“Breaking”). He soon signed with the all-white Montreal Royals a farm team for the Dodgers. Robinson had an outstanding start with the Royals, “leading the International League with a .349 batting average and .985 fielding percentage” (Robinson). After Robinson’s outstanding year he was promoted to the Dodgers he played his first game on