Why Is Jackie Robinson Important To The Civil Rights Movement

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 Robinson was a huge step to integration because he ended segregation for baseball. He was voted the National League’s MVP in 1949 when he hit a league-leading .342 and drove in 124 runs. But it wasn’t a party being the first black to play Major League Baseball when he first started because white America did not react so well to the integration in Major League

Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier on April 15, 1947 when he became the first colored player to play in the MLB. The second he stepped on the field, he became a legend. In his first year playing he won rookie of the year, showing the rest of the league that he was

The man who broke the color barrier, Jackie Robinson. Robinson was the first African-American to play in the MLB. Robinson overcame many obstacles in his career the main ones being racism and segregation. Robinson had a 10 year career with the Dodgers. Robinson became a civil rights activist being involved in the NAACP after his retirement from baseball. Jackie has received numerous awards not only for his physical abilities but for his impact he made on the world.

Other benefits soon followed more than just sports, because there were more job opportunities, voting, places in local government and eventually federal government. All over the country people began to accept African Americans doing all things in life (8). He not only changed baseball, but the culture and society of America itself (3). Robinson impacted the United States, helped catapult the Civil Rights movement and was a heroic figure of the mid twentieth century.

“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives,” claimed Jackie Robinson. This is what he wanted to do in his life and what he wished people would follow this motto such as he did. He managed to change a whole community that didn’t let color mix, and treated his people as lesser being that weren't truly equal. To this day in present time we can see many african americans playing alongside caucasians in all sports and being equals. One cause and effect was when President Harry Truman issued Executive Order 9982 not to long after Jackie integrated into the MLB, to abolish discrimination between races in the armed forces. And now african americans play major roles in the sports industry, such as one famous african american baseball player Derek Jeter, if Jackie didn't step i to help break the color barrier we might not have people like Derek Jeter on MLB

In 1947 if you were any race other than white could not play in major league baseball. “Jackie Robinson, took the first steps toward integrating the sport's major league teams when he signed a contract to play with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947” (Smith para 1). Jackie Robinson was the first African-American player in the major league baseball. If Jackie Robinson didn’t sign to the Dodgers then who knows how segregated baseball or the world in general would be. The Brooklyn Dodgers were the first to sign an African-American on there team. The Brooklyn Dodger coach ask for Jackie Robinson to come out and talk to him.

Since the abolition of slavery in the USA in 1883 and through the first half of the 20th Century, African Americans had been in a constant struggle to try and gain an equal footing in society. Like many aspects of American life, black sportsmen were segregated, and no African American had played professional baseball since 1884. For this reason, the integration of Jackie Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers as the first African American to play Major League baseball in the modern era had a grand impact on the entire country. From the moment that Dodgers owner, Branch Rickey decided that Robinson would break the colour lone, the history of sport and the history of African Americans would not be the same again. The importance of his integration and the effect it had on civil rights can be looked at in many different ways. It had great effect on the African American community, instilling pride and belief once again in the American Dream for many who had once thought it impossible. It also had significant importance for civil rights groups, and brought about a figure who would fight his peoples quest for equal rights until the day he died. It was a significant risk taken by both Rickey and Robinson, professionally and personally. But it was a risk that both in the short term for African American sport, and in the long run for African American civil rights, was ultimately well worth taking.

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

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

It is easy to underestimate the huge significance Jackie Robinson had on America both politically and symbolically. In 1947, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier by becoming the first African American to play in the MLB (Burgos). Jackie ended more than 60 years of

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 changed major league baseball history in 1947. This day, “was a history-making day,” (Robinson) because Robinson didn’t just play in the MLB he was the first African American to play. Robinson was “proud to be in the hurricane eye of a significant breakthrough…” (Robinson) because he broke the color barrier in MLB,

Imagine having bottles thrown at you, numerous racial slurs yelled at you, and pitchers throwing the ball at you head when you were up to bat. Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play in Major League Baseball. He underwent many hardships in order to play the game he loved. Many whites hated the idea of an African American playing on the same team that whites played on. Despite all the hatred he received from the crowd and the other teams, he often was able to keep his emotions under control and play the game he loved. People of different races have fought against discrimination to be seen as an equal by the people that feel superior.

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.