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How Did Jackie Robinson Change Society

Decent Essays

His brother, Mack, was an olympic medalist as a runner, but since he was black, the only job he could find back home was as a garbage man. Jackie Robinson came from a blue-collar family and became the first black player to play Major League baseball, but he also became an icon for many when he used his platform to bring attention to his fight for racial equality. As a result, a baseball signed by himself and his teammates is displayed in the world-renowned Smithsonian Institute . The courage and mental toughness showcased by Jackie Robinson changed the way African-Americans were viewed and helped make them prominent members of society.
This journey all began when Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born on January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia. Jackie’s …show more content…

Robinson’s great career at Pasadena Junior College led to him receiving many athletic scholarships from a variety of prestigious universities. From these, he chose to stay close to his family by choosing UCLA. Jackie wasn’t accustomed to the wealthy atmosphere of the school; however, he fit right in when playing sports (Scott, 1987). Jackie decided to leave college without completing his degree, believing that it wouldn’t benefit him in gaining a job because it wouldn’t change his skin color. This was a very tough decision for him considering his mother had always wanted to see him graduate college, but Jackie would continue his life’s journey in the army (Scott, …show more content…

While at the facility, Robinson and some other African-Americans attempted to attend a school to become military officers; however, even though the group seemed to have adequate resumés for the school, their request was denied because of their ethnicity (Scott, 1987). Despite being denied, Jackie was determined to be accepted into the school, and he sought assistance through the powerful champion boxer, Joe Louis, who happened to be at the same facility as Jackie. Louis was able to pull some strings to get them accepted into the school (Scott, 1987). However, Jackie would soon return to sports after his stint with the

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