How Did Jackie Robinson Impact Society

“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” (Jackie Robinson).

Jackie Robinson broke the baseball color line and became the first African American to play on a major sports team.Robinson was born on January 31, 1919 and went to college at UCLA after high school. He married Rachel Robinson in 1946 and had three children. Robinson died on October 24, 1972 with great accomplishments.Jackie Robinson may be the most important figure in America's history for being the first African American to join the major leagues in baseball, for breaking the color barrier in the sport, and for changing baseball for everyone.

Jackie Robinson continued to make an impact on civil rights even after his retirement from baseball. With his life in baseball winding down, Jackie ramped up his off- field involvement in advancing racial justice (Schutz 116). He continued to help and make his mark as one of the most influential people in helping blacks achieve their civil rights. Jackie was very involved in the Little Rock Nine School crisis which was an early effort to begin desegregation of southern high schools (Schutz 117). Dwight D Eisenhower, the President at that time, told Jackie that all blacks needed was patience for de-segregation to occur. Robinson strongly berated the President for these comments as it was abundantly clear that he had no understanding of the incredible hardships blacks had endured (Schutz 121). Jackie participated in the March on Washington which was a signature moment for the

Jackie Robinson has had many influences throughout his time. Jackie Robinson has been one of the most influential people throughout history, Jackie has had a huge impact on today's world because of the numerous ideas and actions he has done. Jackie was the first African American MLB baseball player that inspired many people to join the MLB as well. Jack Robinson was born on January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia.

October 23, 1945, Jackie Robinson shook hands with Branch Rickey, officially changing baseball and society, signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Robinson grew up in a poor household in Pasadena, California. He attended UCLA, making himself a four sport star athlete . Major league baseball had been segregated at the time, with the only black men playing in separate Negro Leagues. Branch Rickey, the owner of the Dodgers, wanted to break the color barrier. To do that, he had to find someone that could withstand racial discrimination and learn to not fight back when dealt with harsh criticism. Jackie Robinson took an amazing risk when he became the first African-American athlete to play in the major leagues. Robinson has been a huge inspiration to athletes, paving the way for blacks, not just in the game of baseball, as well as being an outspoken activist for the rights of American-Americans.

The people who were against segregation and promoted civil rights helped to accomplish what we call today, an integrated society. During the Civil Rights Revolution, there were many prominent figures such as Jackie Robinson, the first major league baseball player who influenced the court’s decision to integrate society. Not only did Jackie Robinson play major league baseball, but he also ran track, played basketball and football. He played these college sports at UCLA, USC and Pasadena Junior College, which are predominately white colleges.

Jackie Robinson is known to be one of the most influential people in baseball and in society. He eternally changed the aspect of American history. It was unusual to have a colored person be treated equally as a white person during the time of the 1900s. He was born in Cairo, Georgia in 1919 and later moved to Pasadena, California to pursue a better life. He came from a poor family of sharecroppers in the South and was the youngest of five. Robinson’s older brother Matthew Robinson was the person who inspired Jackie to pursue his talents and love for sports. Matthew won a silver medal in the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games just behind Jesse Owens. Jackie did it all, he excelled in all types of sports it came natural to him. He attended Pasadena Junior College then later continued his education at UCLA where he became the first athlete to win varsity letters in four sports: basketball, football, track, and baseball.

He wasn’t only responsible for possibly the greatest baseball era this world has ever seen, he is responsible for paving a way for new African Americans to join the league. Barry Bonds, a former African American player, said he wouldn’t have had even the slightest bit of courage if it weren’t for Jackie Robinson’s amazing legacy. Jackie even showed his sense of courage to people off the field. Becoming a great roll model to kids around the world,”Little kids loved me so I gave them something to watch.” (Jackie Robinson Interviewed.)

Jackie Robinson, The man who fought to play baseball with the greatest, to be known as one of the greatest, to actually be heard and seen by those who thought what he did was of the impossible. Through the eyes of many he was just another African-American. But to those who could see through the colour, could see a gift.

Jackie succeeded in putting the prejudice and racial strife aside, and showed everyone what a talented and dedicated player he was. Robinson led the National League in stolen bases and was selected as Rookie of the Year, he led in stolen bases that year and earned the National League's Most Valuable Player Award. Jackie Robinson became a hero of Baseball, he set league records and became the highest paid in Dodgers history. His success and achievements opened the door for many other African American black baseball players, and inspires children and kids today to play Baseball despite other people’s opinions and thoughts on it. Jackie also became very vocal and voiced his opinion on discrimination, he called out the Yankees for still not having their color barrier broken years after he played with the Dodgers.

He left everyone speechless with what he did , and also left them looking up to him. Little kids all ages not only looked up to him as a player,but also as a person. Any player could have been so good that they left a impact on a kid, but Jackie Robinson left one on kids as a person to look up to. He also made people think differently about African Americans , and how they can make a change in the world. People all over the world would look at Jackie just as a normal baseball player but now they had much more respect for him.

Jackie Robinson fought to end segregation, and the rights for all people through many different ways. The most recognized and probably the biggest thing he did was transform all sports through being the first African American to play professional baseball. This did not only stop discrimination in baseball but this helped stop discrimination in all sports together. After his impact on baseball he wasn't done there, he join the National Association for the advancement of colored people. He became the chairman for the freedom fund and later raised over a million dollars. Jackie Robinson devoted his life to the civil rights movement by breaking the color barrier, transforming the face of sports, his work as an activist to stop segregation, and make the country the best it could be.

(Robinson, letter) and (Wilson,web). Robinson’s impact on society portrayed his legacy as a great one and made people realize that he was a hero, but also that everyone can be a hero. Jackie Robinson truly has left an impact as the man who broke the color barrier. Withstanding all hate that was thrown at him and doing it while keeping a smile on his face and inspiring others. Jackie Robinson is a hero of change because he was able to break the pro sports color barrier by signing the contract putting himself of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Jackie Robinson not only made impacts on the field that were monumental, but he made impacts off the field that were equally as important. Jackie helped presidents get elected, get kids off the streets and into the most prestigious schools there is, and most importantly he broke the black color barrier in baseball. Jackie Robinson is one of the most influential people to ever live, he did things that people would dream about, he stood up for what he believed. To begin, Jackie’s biggest accomplishment was breaking the black color barrier on baseball, “ Jackie Robinson broke through the color barrier that kept blacks out of the Major League Baseball [MLB].

As an exceptional athlete and an honorable man Jackie Robinson changed the way not only sports are seen in the world but how life is seen in the