Jackie Robinson: Breaking The Major League Baseball Color Barrier

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

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.

Jackie Robinson once said, “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives” (“Jackie”). Jackie Robinson was a major star athlete from the very beginning, always excelling in whatever he did, and his biggest achievement was breaking the color barrier of major league baseball. Robinson is an American Revolutionary Figure because he changed many things for African Americans while also inspiring others to further advance and make changes as well.

On January 31, 1919, a kid by the name of Jackie Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia. He surely did not know that he would be one day an american hero. His father was Jerry Robinson, a plantation worker. His mother was Mallie, she was a domestic worker. Jackie had three brothers and one sister. The four brothers were: Edgar, Frank and Mack. The sister was Willa Mae. Frank and Edgar are no longer alive, but Mack and WIlla still live in Pasadena, California. His dad left Mallie and the children, never to return, when Jackie was six months old. When

“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives”- Jackie Robinson (Baseball Almanac). Jackie Robinson’s life accomplished more than impacting others, he impacted a nation. His humble upbringing, strong will, and fight for equality is unmatched by any other. He was one of the first African Americans to stand up for equal rights and broke through many barriers to allow others to fight with him. His Hall of Fame career on the baseball diamond is only a small piece to Jackie’s story of struggle and hardship to reach equality.

“Near six o’clock on the evening of January 31, 1919, Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born somewhere near the town of Cairo in Grandy County in southern Georgia” (Rampersad 10). Jackie’s parents, Jerry and Mallie Robinson, first lived together on a small plantation just south of Cairo. Mallie Robinson raised her five children single handedly, and they later moved to Pasadena, California, which was not the most racially friendly environment due to the Robinsons being the only black family on the block. Not having a father in the home, he looked up to his older brothers and saw them as his future, they are the ones who introduced him into the sports

Jackie Robinson was a major part in baseball history. Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier several times. Here are several ways how. Jackie Robinson was born January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia. Jackie was the youngest of 5 children and he was he was raised in relative in relative poverty by a single mother.

“Jackie Robinson was born on the thirty first day of January in 1919”. (biography.com) He was born to a family of sharecroppers in the town of Cairo Georgia, but Jackie grew up in Pasadena California. (Jackie Robinson official website) Jackie grew up being raised by only his mother and his older siblings helped out as well. He had four siblings, three older brothers and one sister. (Britannica encyclopedia) Jackie was the youngest of five kids and they all helped out each other in school, sports, and chores. The Robinson family was the only African American family on their block, but the bias acts of the white people surrounding them didn’t hurt them, but prepared them for their future. (Jackie Robinson official website) Jackie’s older brother Matthew gave him his inspiration to take on sports just as he did. He has always had a huge love for sports in his childhood years. (Jackie Robinson book pg: 4)

As well as being an amazing athlete Jackie was also a great person. He was humble but confident and always stood up for what was right no matter what the opposition. Jackie broke multiple barriers for young African American Athletes, and for that he should have the respect of not only them, everyone who has anything to do with the sports community. Jackie Robinson changed professional sports forever and should be remembered

Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball when he made his MLB debut on April 15, 1947 for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Jackie was the first african american to play in the major leagues. When the Dodgers signed him he broke the color barrier in baseball, allowing african american baseball players to play outside of the Negro Leagues. The Dodgers, by playing Robinson, ended racial segregation that had relegated black players to the Negro leagues since the 1880s. Jackie served in the military during World War II.

Robinson was born on January 31, 1919, into a family of sharecroppers in Cairo, Georgia. He was the youngest of five children born to Mallie McGriff and Jerry Robinson. His middle name, Edgar, was in honor of former President Theodore Roosevelt who died 25 days before Robinson was born. After Jackie’s father left the family in 1920, they moved to Pasadena, California. Robinson 's mother worked various jobs to support the family. Jackie grew up in poverty in an affluent community. Jackie and his friends were excluded from many recreational opportunities. As a result, Robinson joined a neighborhood gang. His friend Carl Anderson persuaded him to abandon the gang. In high school Jackie attended John Muir high school being an outstanding athlete. He was a multi-sport athlete playing football, baseball, track, tennis, and baseball. Jackie won numerous athletic awards in high school. Jackie Robinson attended

Jack Roosevelt Robinson, better known as Jackie Robinson, was born in Cairo, Georgia on January 31, 1919. Him and his four siblings were taken care of by their single mother who was

Jackie Robinson: The Man who Broke the Color Barrier Since the beginning of baseball in the mid-18th century, the segregation that existed everywhere in the U.S. also was an understood agreement between teams until the Dodgers brought up Jackie Robinson with much criticism and resentment. Major League Baseball was a white man’s game before Robinson’s achievement and it has slowly changed ever since (Goldman). Because of Robinson, for the first time, America’s past time represented most all Americans regardless of race and ethnicity. Robinson’s achievement brought a prosperous time for many minorities both in baseball and outside of it. With the breaking of the color barrier in 1947, Jackie Robinson revolutionized the sports industry and

Jackie Robinson was born on January 31, 1919 in Cairo Georgia. He was the youngest of his Family. He had three brothers and one sister. His brothers were Mack Robinson, Edgar Robinson, and Frank Robinson. His sister’s name was Willa Mae Robinson. His father’s name was Jerry Robinson and his mother’s name was Mallei Robinson. They were in poverty all their life because Jackie’s dad left right after he was born. Their family got along very well and rarely ever fought. Jackie Robinson got along better with Mack. Mack was into sports and that is how Jackie was inspired to play sports from middle school through college. Jackie’s favorite sport while he was younger was track and field. His brother actually did very well in track too.

Jackie Robinson was an absolute legend. He achieved what others would not and worked hard than many others. Robinson had some doubts but with a little motivation was encouraged to do anything. Over his lifetime he gained much respect from the population and was looked up as a role model to much of the community.