Overcoming Challenges

Have you ever faced a crucial turning point that impacted yourself and others? Melba Pattillo Beals from the memoir “Warriors Don’t Cry”, Jackie Robinson from the autobiography “I Never Had It Made”, and Feng Ru from the article “  The Father of Chinese Aviation” by Rebecca Maskel all faced life-changing events. During those turning points, they overcame difficult challenges. Melba Pattillo Beals, Jackie Robinson, and Feng Ru overcame challenges, faced turning points and had an impact on themselves and their countries.

veryone in this world has a turning point, big or small. But three people named Jackie Robinson, Feng Ru, and Melba Beals all had life changing experiences that changed their whole country.Jackie Robinson from the autobiography I Never Had It Made was the first black in the major leagues, while Melba Pattillo Beals from the book Warriors Don’t Cry was one of the first African-Americans to go to an all-white high school. Feng Ru from the biography by Rebecca Maksel “The Father Of Chinese Aviation” was the one who elevated the field aviation. These people put a lot of things to risks like their family, friends, house, and even their lives, but was determined to do it, and in doing so, changed our country.

She was one of the 9 Students said in paragraph students who helped all africans americans have the same education as white people. Melba Beals also faced many different challenges. One challenge melba Beals faced were white people “ Raising their fist.” ( Beals), and they were also “ Shouting ugly words.” ( Beals), As you can see this was very similar to Jackie Robinson. Another challenge Beals faced was people looking at her even though they knew her well. As said in the story “ Warriors Don't Cry” Melba says “ Even those who know me well ,were staring as though I was different from them” . This caused Melba to feel a little concerned. The last challenge Beals face was “ Angry segregationist mobs” ( Beals) That forbidden black students to enter central high school.Despite all the challenges Beals faced, She grew by being determined and showed courage to achieve her goal of black people having equal rights as white. All of these challenges helped beals to learn to appreciate what good people are in the world to protect her. All of this help give all african americans equal right as white people in

Robinson had was persistence. Whether he’s playing in a game or practicing, Jackie never gave up on his dreams, even when he wasn’t being supported by his team-mates and friends. He had many obstacles in his way by breaking the ‘colour barrier’ in 1947. He persevered through them and never stopped while he was being mistreated. For Jackie, it was really hard to support his family financially in the early years. He wasn’t paid very well as black baseball player. Jackie Roosevelt Robinson helped the Brooklyn Dodgers (Major League baseball team in Brooklyn), and in return he was treated poorly. Fans of the Dodgers and opponents were yelling racist comments and spitting on him. Usually teammates were supportive of a player on the team, but not Jackie’s. They even signed a petition protesting against playing on the same field as Jackie because of his skin colour. Even though he was poorly treated, he kept playing despite what others thought about

Melba Pattillo Beals was an African American that helped education thrive for others. Melba Pattillo Beals decided to be the first African American to attend and integrate Central High School. In paragraph eighteen, it states, “Step by step we climbed upward-where none of my people had ever before walked as a student. We stepped up the front door of Central High School and crossed the threshold into that place where angry segregationist mobs had forbidden us to go.” Melba Pattillo Beals

She helped improve education to her race and didn’t stop til she got the fair treatment she deserves. Melba is one of the Little Rock Nine that tried to go to school in Central High School which is only for white kids and blacks are barred from it. Her story is like Jackie Robinson’s because they were both barred from something that is only for all white people he was barred from national baseball while Melba was barred from equal rights for education but they took the risk and changed their country to make it fair for everyone. She faced angry mobs that would raise their fists at them. She said in her memoir “ Some of the white people looked totally horrified while others raised their fists to us, others shouted ugly words”( Beals).

What would you do if you were in Jackie Robinson’s shoes when he was getting hate for being in the MLB? How about if you were in Melba Pattillo Beals’s shoes when she was going to Central High? Or Brian Robeson when he crash-landed onto the lake with no supplies? Your reaction could be the same or it could be different from theirs.The reactions they had changed them and us. Jackie Robinson and Melba Pattillo Beals both helped us change our views about African-Americans having unfair rights, and Brian Robeson changed our point of view of surviving in the wilderness. Jackie Robinson, Melba Pattillo Beals, and Brian Robeson had helped us change our point of views.

faced turning points, Jackie Robinson, Melba Pattillo Beals, and Feng Ru all faced life-changing experiences that changed both their lives and their country.

Jackie Robinson was soon to be scouted by a white man, his name was Branch Rickey. He was the president of the Brooklyn Dodgers and he was in the white leagues. Soon later, Jackie Robinson first played for the Montreal Monarchs an all-white team then moved and became a new player to the Brooklyn Dodgers, he was the first black player to compete in the major leagues and first black player to be on the team too. For Jackie being the first African American to play in this major leagues, “Robinson was the target of racial epithets and flying cleats, of hate letters and death threats, of pitchers throwing at his head and legs, and catchers spitting on his shoes.” Jackie Robinson would get racial slurs from the crowd and from other teams. Jackie and his family would receive threats. He though was scared for himself and his family, but he knew that this was not an option to quit. Jackie did not give up, he will fight back with his talents in baseball. Throughout all his games, Jackie Robinson had the guts to play baseball through any adversity. He was able to overcome his fears and the hatred he had to hold back from the segregation and discrimination. The talent he had “Jackie Robinson became the first black player in the major leagues in 1947, signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1947, National League MVP in 1949 and a World Series champ in 1955.” Through the course of the years, Jackie Robinson was able to achieve a lot. He knew just by playing his heart out there and giving his all would lead him to goals not a lot of baseball players can get to. Through any circumstance, Jackie was able to show the ones that doubted, made fun of him, and threatened him that he has never given up and he was able to do it and achieve it. From when Branch Rickey picked up Jackie Robinson, Jackie being the first and only black baseball player at this time, it is a huge

Jules Tygiel, a sports historian and author once said, “Upon Robinson’s husky, inexperienced shoulders rested the fate of desegregation in baseball”(Tygiel 4). Jackie Robinson was not just the first black man to play in the MLB. Jackie Robinson opened up the door for all black baseball players, and athletes of all different sports. America needed a black man to show them that it was okay for blacks and whites to be together, to play baseball together. Jackie did exactly that. Although Jackie loved the professional baseball, professional baseball did not always love him. Jackie and the MLB did not always go well. Many teams didn’t like a negro sharing a field with them, in fact, the St. Louis Cardinals even went on strike for a short time(“Jackie Robinson”). Jackie’s presence made some teams forfeit games. However, the Dodgers did not care, they were just trying to win baseball games. Jackie knew when he came into the league it was going to be a struggle. He knew it was going to be hard, not only to help the Dodgers win games, but to stay level headed and not let off-field distractions affect his game. Jackie was once quoted saying “I think I am the right man for the test. There is no possible chance that I will flunk it or quit before the end for any other reason other than that I am not a good enough ballplayer.”(“Jackie Robinson”) It was going to take a special man to break the color barrier, and Jackie knew

Melba Pattillo Beals was an African American woman who helped to integrate education for African Americans. A challenging life changing experience for Melba was that she

3. Melba Pattillo Beals life changed when she integrated an all-white high school. The events challenged Beals because she faced racism and because of this she built up confidence and character. In paragraph thirteen the text states, “Some of the white people looked totally horrified while others raised their fists

Born on January 31, 1919 in Georgia, Jackie was he emerged with an extraordinary gift. Mr. Robinson was treated unfairly (LY), with a lack of respect, from Caucasians both on and off the field. This however did not detour him off the path from becoming one of baseball’s greatest at stealing bases and turning double plays. Moreover, Jackie’s determination and perseverance inspired many African Americans to pursue their dreams and endure the social injustices they witnessed everyday in their quest to achieve personal freedom. (5) When (CL) Mr. Robinson earned himself the reputation as one of the toughest and most talented (QA) athletes with the rarest flair in history, he was soon recognized as an amazing person by everyone including Caucasians. However, Jackie Robinson was not the only man fighting against racism.

Everyday life for him was having to stay at different hotels, or eat at different restaurants than his teammates. These things put his family at risk, whether it be receiving harsh language, or finding an equitable place to sleep. He knew these segregating laws were not fair, and the risks of safety were high, and still put up with the harsh treatments to prove his point of equality. Despite these things, he knew what he was doing would eventually lead to the full integration of sports. When the manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers gave Robinson the chance to break the unwritten color barrier, he gladly accepted. He would have given anything to show that a black man was just as competent as a white. And he did. In 1981, his wish came true with an estimated 19% of Major League baseball players being African American, a startling change from the previous years.(mlblogs.com) Now, nearly 70 years later, all sports are integrated without a thought to color or race. This accomplishment made a huge difference to the black members of society and to our history in general. Jackie Robinson got his wish, even though he didn't live long enough to see it happen all the way through. Because of him, black players now have an equal opportunity to play and take part in the sports they

Life has many different challenges and can lead to turning points that can impact a person. “Warriors Don’t Cry” (Beals), “I Never Had It Made” (Robinson), and “The Father of Chinese Aviation” (Maskel) are about people who are examples of people that experienced turning points in history. Jackie Robinson, Feng Ru, and Melba Beals faced life-changing events, and those events affected their countries in the process.