“There is not an American in this country free until every one of us is free.”
- Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson Day on April 15 was established in 2004 by Major League Baseball in honor of this great hero of the sport. Just who was this man and why should your children learn about him and his accomplishments? You don’t have to be a baseball or sports fan to appreciate his story as the first black athlete to play in the major leagues in 1947.
Jackie Robinson was born in Georgia in 1919 to a single mother. He was always good in sports, playing basketball, track, baseball and football. He attended college, continuing to play in all those sports and was even recognized as his region’s Most Valuable Player in baseball in 1938. Unfortunately, he was unable to graduate due to financial hardships.
When the United States entered into World War II, Robinson enlisted and served in the Army from 1942-1944. While he was in boot camp, he was arrested and charged with failing to move to the back of a segregated bus because he refused to give up his seat. After the trial, he was acquitted and received an honorable discharge. He continued to fight racial segregation the rest of his life.
He began playing baseball professionally for the Negro Leagues, because of racial segregation. The president of the Brooklyn Dodgers saw him play and believed he would be a great asset to the team, since he particularly desired to bring integration to the Major Leagues. Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers, playing his first game on April 15, 1947.
During his successful career, Robinson won many awards because of his tremendous athletic abilities. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1947. In 1949, he was named the Most Valuable Player in the National League. He even was named a World Series champ in 1955. He was the first African-American to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.
Of course, Robinson suffered harassment and slurs because of his race, even from his own teammates. The Dodgers’ manager stood by Robinson and told his teammates that he would rather trade them than Robinson. When fans yelled out racial slurs during one game, Robinson went and put his arm around a teammate. This incident became famous throughout sports’ history. After retiring from baseball, he continued to be active in the movement for civil rights and social justice.
There are many children’s books, movies and documentaries about Robinson. I encourage you to spend time with your children learning and discussing about this great hero.