Jackie Robinson's Role In Major League Baseball

Long before Robinson joined major league baseball, civil rights groups had been rallying for the integration of the sport. Politicians such as Boston councilman Isadore Muchnick and New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia paved the way for Robinson’s signing with the Dodgers by organizing committees and rallies to push teams to sign African American players. When Branch Rickey, owner of the Dodgers, asked Robinson to break American baseball apartheid, he was aware of Robinson’s strong political opinions and opposition to segregation. A former second lieutenant, Robinson had been court martialed for insubordination when he refused to move to the back of an army bus.

Washington became the chief black advisor to President’s Roosevelt and Taft; moreover, Washington was the first African-American to ever be invited to the White House. Despite the fact that racism was rife within the whole country, both Presidents accepted Washington through his accommodating and submissive stance. Yet despite such advances Washington sill attracted many critics. Civil Right activist William Monroe Trotter contested Washington’s political dominance and vociferously opposed what he believed were Washington’s racially appeasing policies. He used the Boston Literary and Historical Association, an organisation he founded to attract likely adversaries of Washington, recruiting W.E.B. DuBois, to further this cause.

In the 1950’s, baseball was a way of life in America, Robinson knew just that and used that power to exploit segregation and helped initiate desegregation in southern towns. Not only opening doors in baseball and the minds of African-Americans, he also sped up the integration of minorities in other sports as

Jackie Robinson was the first African American baseball player who changed the history of Major League Baseball in the 20th century. “Jackie Robinson graphically symbolized and personified the challenge to the vicious legacy and ideology of white supremacy in American history.” (Robinson & Duckett 1955) Robinson faced countless amounts of hate from people because he was an African American in an all white Major League Baseball team, but with the fame he received from baseball, he spoke out about the inequality between whites and African Americans because he wanted to bring out to the light to make people aware of what was going on. Jackie Robinson was born in a Cairo, Georgia where his parents were farmers.

Truman also recognized the harm caused by racism and supported the idea of a more equal nation, despite having been raised in a Southern community surrounded by racial prejudice. Truman became the first President to address the NAACP in a speech he gave on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. In this speech Truman spoke on the necessity of ending discrimination and lynching at the poles. Truman also worked to integrate

King and Malcolm X had both wanted a better life for their race, however, what divided their efforts towards a common goal was their way to get there. Dr. King promoted a world with integration, a place where all races coexisted peacefully and treated each other amicably. MLK was very surprisingly realistic about segregation, claiming African Americans had “come a long, long way” but had “a long, long way to go” towards integration. He was of the opinion that through hard work and persistence, one day blacks and whites would regard each others as equals. His fairly idealistic world directly counteracted Malcolm X’s clause of segregation in his policy of Black Nationalism.

Robinson was signed to a minor league contract and sent to the Dodgers best minor league team, the Montreal Royals (). “Despite objections from every major league team, the commissioner of baseball allowed (Robinson) to play ().” Immediately every team hated the idea of an African American playing in even the minor leagues. Robinson’s struggles were going to be arguably some of the toughest any African American had faced since the abolishing of slavery. Nevertheless, Robinson began his minor league career by impressing everyone- including the Montreal Royals manager, who originally refused to play him.

IN the horrid times of the Jim Crow Law one man made an impact to help stop racial tension, and that man is Jackie Robinson. One boldly stated example to show how Jackie robinson help stop JimCrow is, “The nation was divided at first. Many whites and nearly all blacks applauded the move and said it was long overdue. But a large number of whites, including many major league baseball players, objected to his presence.” This example boldly presented how Jackie was able to try and overrule the jim crow law and help overcome segregation, another example to prove how Jackie Robinson helped end segregation and end the Jim Crow Laws is, “Robinson 's action had repercussions far beyond the sports world.

Joseph Maddox Mrs Williams English 10B 22 March 2016 How would you feel to get hit by a baseball 72 times with people throwing 90 miles per hour or faster. Jackie Robinson was the first black man to play Professional Baseball with white man. Jackie Robinson challenged the law that black man can not play baseball with white man and beat it. Jackie Robinson acted to rebel against the law black man can 't play professional baseball with whites because he loved the game of baseball and that he wanted to care for his wife, Rachel Robinson. The reason he acted was because he didn 't think it was fair that whites were playing without african americans, and Branch Rickey, President of the Brooklyn Dodgers thought there should be a change so he signed Jackie Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers

During 1950s and 1960s, black activist in the South of America, were subject to some mistreatment and violence when peaceful participants around the country were attacked by white people and troopers with nightstick, tear gas and whips after they refused to turn back their protests. The Voting Rights Act was an important law in American history when African American people could vote under the 15th Amendment. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed this law to reduce racial discrimination and regulate secured voting for racial minorities because of the repercussion in the society. Until that moment, African Americans were suffering all kind of contempt and they had some social barriers because of the white people. They also should have less importance

Everyone in the newly founded United States wanted life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but it wasn’t what many white people wanted to happen. Many people who sought this freedom were victims of riots and were killed for no other reason than the color of their skin. Even former run away and freed slaves fought side by side white men of the union to free all slaves even though the white men of the union treated them as lesser beings, they still fought for their freedoms. In this point in time everyone wanted one thing to be an American, but people of this period did not want everyone to have this gift, of being an American.

In summation of the segregation in baseball throughout the 20th century and its effects on society, it was a large contribution to ending racial discrimination. From all of the mentioned articles, it is evident that segregated baseball teams between blacks and whites were a major issue of history. It seems as if today, people still honor Jackie Robinson as a civil rights activist who has lead the way to a less racial society. Most people don’t realize that racism had a major effect on national league sports teams in the 1950’s. With racism’s great effect in major league sports teams, there were many other problems that blacks experienced, especially in the 20th century.

Critics argue that even with his reputation and political place (National Spokesperson) he did not demand for more equality for the African American population. Laws such as the Jim Crow and Black Codes prohibited blacks to vote or engage in political meetings. Overall, I think Washington did a great job of helping the African American community gain educational rights. He worked hard to give the blacks what they needed (education) and at the same time kept peace within the two races.

Confederate people out of power all together. The southern white government had a range of ways they controlled how the newly freed slaves lived their lives and what freedoms they could have and which ones the government didn’t want them to have but over time these barriers were

Growing up in a white neighborhood and playing baseball with only whites, Robinson battled with racism throughout his life. He constantly had to prove himself and stand up for himself as well. People did not believe that Robinson would make it in the Major Leagues. It was evident that the Brooklyn Dodgers were taking a big risk in signing Robinson. Many of their fans were furious, other teams, and even their own players did not want him on the team but numerous of people came to watch Robinson play.