Birth/Death:
1919-1972
Location:
Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia, when many cities were erupting in
race riots. Jackie Robinson played Major League Baseball with the Brooklyn
Dodgers winning the Silver Bat award and National League Most Valuable Player
Award in 1949, in 1955 winning the World Series, and being elected to Baseball’s
Hall of Fame in 1962, the first year he was eligible.
Early Life:
According to The Biography Channel website, the youngest of five children, Robinson was
raised in relative poverty by a single mother. He attended John Muir High School and Pasadena
Junior College, where he was an excellent athlete and played four sports: football, basketball,
track, and baseball. He was named the region's Most Valuable Player in baseball
in 1938.Robinson's older brother, Matthew Robinson, inspired Jackie to pursue
his talent and love for athletics. Matthew won a silver medal in the 200-meter
dash—just behind Jesse Owens—at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. Jackie
continued his education at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he
became the university's first student to win varsity letters in four sports. In
1941, despite his athletic success, Robinson was forced to leave UCLA just shy
of graduation due to financial hardship. He moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, where he
played football for the semi-professional Honolulu Bears. His season with the
Bears was cut short when the United States entered into World War II. From 1942
to 1944, Robinson served as a second lieutenant in the United States Army. He
never saw combat, however; Robinson was arrested and court-martialed during boot
camp after he refused to move to the back of a segregated bus during training.
He was later acquitted of the charges and received an honorable discharge. His
courage and moral objection to segregation were precursors to the impact
Robinson would have in major league baseball.
Contributions and Significance:
Brooklyn second baseman Jackie Robinson testifying before the House Un-American
Activities Committee on the loyalty of American Negroes, a photo by The Biography Channel
website, shows how Jackie Robinson is giving the pathway to African Americans. He broke the
colored barrier with challenges. He was called bad names; he quieted the critics by being what
he was, a great baseball player. Robinson won Rookie of Year and Most Valuable Player, not to
mention other awards. He also helped the Brooklyn Dodgers win the World Series
and later was inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame.
Today’s Impact:
Without Jackie Robinson, there would of still been a big barrier in baseball; that
barrier being discrimination. There would not have been any African American
baseball players. It was a good thing also that he played good and won awards to
prove his athletic ability. What if the pressure got to him, then he could have
let down African Americans. Thankfully that did not happen.
Why I Chose this History Maker:
The reason I chose Jackie Robinson was because the only thing I knew about him was
the fact that he was the first African American in Major League Baseball. I want
to know more about more people and in order to know those people, I have to know
a significant amount of their life. The other reason was that he connects with
my other choices.
1919-1972
Location:
Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia, when many cities were erupting in
race riots. Jackie Robinson played Major League Baseball with the Brooklyn
Dodgers winning the Silver Bat award and National League Most Valuable Player
Award in 1949, in 1955 winning the World Series, and being elected to Baseball’s
Hall of Fame in 1962, the first year he was eligible.
Early Life:
According to The Biography Channel website, the youngest of five children, Robinson was
raised in relative poverty by a single mother. He attended John Muir High School and Pasadena
Junior College, where he was an excellent athlete and played four sports: football, basketball,
track, and baseball. He was named the region's Most Valuable Player in baseball
in 1938.Robinson's older brother, Matthew Robinson, inspired Jackie to pursue
his talent and love for athletics. Matthew won a silver medal in the 200-meter
dash—just behind Jesse Owens—at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. Jackie
continued his education at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he
became the university's first student to win varsity letters in four sports. In
1941, despite his athletic success, Robinson was forced to leave UCLA just shy
of graduation due to financial hardship. He moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, where he
played football for the semi-professional Honolulu Bears. His season with the
Bears was cut short when the United States entered into World War II. From 1942
to 1944, Robinson served as a second lieutenant in the United States Army. He
never saw combat, however; Robinson was arrested and court-martialed during boot
camp after he refused to move to the back of a segregated bus during training.
He was later acquitted of the charges and received an honorable discharge. His
courage and moral objection to segregation were precursors to the impact
Robinson would have in major league baseball.
Contributions and Significance:
Brooklyn second baseman Jackie Robinson testifying before the House Un-American
Activities Committee on the loyalty of American Negroes, a photo by The Biography Channel
website, shows how Jackie Robinson is giving the pathway to African Americans. He broke the
colored barrier with challenges. He was called bad names; he quieted the critics by being what
he was, a great baseball player. Robinson won Rookie of Year and Most Valuable Player, not to
mention other awards. He also helped the Brooklyn Dodgers win the World Series
and later was inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame.
Today’s Impact:
Without Jackie Robinson, there would of still been a big barrier in baseball; that
barrier being discrimination. There would not have been any African American
baseball players. It was a good thing also that he played good and won awards to
prove his athletic ability. What if the pressure got to him, then he could have
let down African Americans. Thankfully that did not happen.
Why I Chose this History Maker:
The reason I chose Jackie Robinson was because the only thing I knew about him was
the fact that he was the first African American in Major League Baseball. I want
to know more about more people and in order to know those people, I have to know
a significant amount of their life. The other reason was that he connects with
my other choices.