Jackie Robinson: Breaking The Color Barrier

Growing up Robinson suffered from racial torment, but then learned that being good at sports brought him friendships with other white children. In 1939, he enrolled at UCLA after graduating from PJC. At UCLA, he was the first person to letter in four varsity sports: baseball, basketball, football, and track (solipsis.com). He even met his future wife, Rachel Annetta Isum, while attending at UCLA.

Jackie Robinson was born on January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia. Jackie was the youngest of 5 kids. His mom was very tough and raised all 5 kids by herself, her name is Mallie Robinson. Jackie was very proud of his mother and admired the way she stood up for her rights. Jackie attended John Muir High School, where he excelled in sports in high school and college. He went to Pasadena College where he played 4 sports, football, baseball, track, and basketball. He was very talented in all of them, but he really saw something in baseball.

Jackie Robinson overcame his struggles that he experienced in his life and still became one of the greatest baseball players of all time.

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 was an amazing baseball player who would end up having many accomplishments. He was the first black athletes to play major league baseball when he signed to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Jackie Robinson held an impressive

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.

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.

The Major League was Jackie’s goal and he wasn’t going to stop until he reached his goal. In 1947, Jackie Robinson changed the world at the age of 28. He became the first African American player to ever join the Major Leagues.(History.com) This changed the world for blacks and whites and gave hope for every boy in girl in segregation. Some even say “Robinson broke the color barrier in a sport that had been segregated for more than 50 years.”(History.com) His action encouraged others to change the world just like Jackie and make the world a better place.

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]. Branch Rickey, general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, signed the 28 year old infielder,

Jackie Robinson was a game changer for all sports. He broke barriers in baseball allowing African Americans to play baseball. Jackie was hated at first but he didn't say anything and let his playing do the talking.Jackie didn't only change baseball he helped his community and the Civil Rights movement. Jackie is the most honored baseball player today he has his own day called Jackie Robinson Day in April and every player wears his number.

In 1947, Manager Branch Rickey, of the Brooklyn Dodgers, signed Jack Roosevelt Robinson to play baseball on the Dodgers’ minor league team. From there, Jackie Robinson played his way to becoming the starting first-baseman of the Brooklyn Dodgers and helped lead the team to a division title. Robinson was the first negro ball-player to play on a Major League Ball Club, while this was an enormous accomplishment for all negro ball-players, it took its toll on Jackie.

First black baseball player, selfless, and courage are three attributes that describe Jackie Robinson. Many people know that Jackie Robinson was a baseball player, but he was so much more. As a well known baseball player, Jackie Robinson showed pro sports that it is all right to have a black person play. He broke the professional baseball color barrier. He is the reason our sports are open to all. He left a lasting legacy as a hero to all, someone who gave up his life to undiscriminate professional sports.

Robinson retired in 1957 due to him pushing his body to his limit. When Robinson retired he became a successful businessman, and he started to support the civil rights movements to help improve relationships between races. Robinson wanted a better life for blacks everywhere, “As his fame grew, Robinson became more fervent in his protests against racist attitudes, and he offered more support for civil rights causes”("Jackie Robinson." DISCovering Multicultural America: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, Gale, 2003). Robinson then became a chairman for the YMCA, which didn't last very long, and then became the manager of a construction company that built homes for black families and created many other things that sparked participation of African Americans in business and other such duties. After a long and accomplished life, Jackie Robinson passed away in 1942 a little over a week after his toss at the world series. Robinson collapsed in his home and died later that day, at Robinson's funeral there were over 2,500 people from everywhere around the country who honored and looked up to Robinson.Robinson had a remarkable life that impacted all the people around him.

Jackie Robinson opened doors for other minority athletes. Robinson became the first African American to play in the major leagues. “The major leagues and their affiliated minor leagues for more than a half century, from 1889 until Robinson broke the color line,

42 is a 2013 film based on a true story and stars Chadwick Boseman and Harrison Ford. This is another movie that shows an underprivileged black athlete standing up to racism. The film depicts Jackie Robinson overcoming racism to become the first black athlete to play in the Major League of Baseball. Before the 1947 season, no black athlete had ever played at the major league level. There were other organizations and leagues outside the MLB in which black athletes could play, but before Jackie Robinson none had played for a MLB club. Robinson would go on to win the Rookie of the Year award as well as a Most Valuable PLayer award two years later in 1949. Being the first black baseball player in the MLB, Robinson faced many instances in which