More than a Baseball Player: Jackie Robinson

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Recommended: Jackie Robinson and what he fought for

Whack! This is the sound that several Americans heard when watching Jackie Robinson make his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers April 10, 1947 (Griffin).When people think of the first major black athlete in American History, they may think of Jackie Robinson. Jackie was one of many various African American people to assist in the reform of our culture. Black athletes were treated unfairly in the 1960s; however, they played a major role in the desegregation of the south, and they helped change the way America is today. Although one may not think so, it took a lot of courage to do what a number of young men did in the 1960s; many of these black athletes overcame adversity and are now American heroes for their actions. The integration of colored and white sports occurred shortly after the resolution of World War II (Walton).”
The childhood of Jackie Robinson was quite interesting considering what he accomplished in his lifetime. Robinson was born on January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia. There was no father figure for Jackie growing up, hence why his mother raised him and his four siblings single handedly. Growing up, Robinson went to John Muir High School. Ensuing high school, he enrolled in the Pasadena Junior College where he partook in several different sports including football, basketball, track, and baseball. Following his career at Pasadena Junior College, Jackie continued on to the University of California, Los Angeles. He received four varsity letters there and was the first student to ever do so. Unfortunately, Robinson never finished his education at UCLA due to his lack of wealth. Jackie continued his young career by moving to Honolulu, Hawaii to pursue his interest in entering semi-pro football. Here he played for only a sho...

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...and courage, Jackie Robinson came through.
His treatment throughout the time may not have been the best, yet Jackie placed that aside and thought about what would be best for his people. That thought aided Jackie throughout the whole journey. The journey that can’t ever be repeated by any man in mankind.

Works Cited

Early, Gerald. "Performance and Reality: Race, Sports and the Modern World." Nation. Aug. 10-17 1998: 11-20. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 03 May. 2014.
Griffin, Richard. "Jackie Robinson: A Portrait in Courage." Toronto Star (Toronto, Canada). 01 Jun. 1996: B5+. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 01 May. 2014
Jackie Robinson. 2014. 29 April 2014 .
Walton, John C. The Changing Status of the Black Athlete in 20th Century United States. 1996. 21 April 2014 .

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