Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinsonpbs.org          Imagine receiving hate mail and death threats everyday, purely because of the color of his skin. This is what Jackie Robinson went through throughout his Major League Baseball career. Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born on January 31, 1919 in Cairo Georgia. Shortly after, his father abandoned him, his mother and his five older siblings. Throughout his life, Jackie Robinson was  very competitive on the sports scene, having the most success when he signed to play on the Brooklyn Dodgers, in 1947. By accepting the challenge, he broke the color barrier for all professional sports, becoming a very inspiring and influential figure, showing his true heroism. A hero must possess perseverance to achieve his goals and courage to overcome the obstacles they face. Jackie Robinson was a hero not only through his ambitious play, but he also had perseverance and courage to achieve his goals and accept the challenges he faced. These traits gave him the ability to overcome obstacles he faced throughout his journey.

          Jackie Robinson displayed his heroic figure by persevering to overcome obstacles and accomplish his goals. Jackie’s goal as a Brooklyn Dodger in 1947, was to break the color barrier of Major League Baseball and create opportunities for all blacks to play sports. “Jackie Robinson may have had the most influence on the integration of sports than any other athlete in history. When he began playing with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, he broke the color line in professional baseball and paved the way for the entry of all black into all professional sports” (Gale Biography In Text). Knowing that there was a negative consequences to his actions, Jackie Robinson took the risk and was signed to play in the Major Leagues. Despite the amount of hate, racist comments and discrimination he endured, he strived to achieve his goals of being a great baseball player and opening the path to other African Americans to all professional sports. Jackie Robinson was a hero, because of his ability to keep his composure, not retaliate and persevere to focus on the game and achieve his goals. Despite Jackie Robinson’s amazing career in professional baseball, it had to come to an end in 1956. Even after his retirement, he worked with different associations and organizations to paint a pathway for all African Americans. “With his baseball career behind him, Robinson brought his energies to bear on racial discrimination off the field. As a business executive, Robinson worked closely with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in its effort to advance opportunities for black Americans” (EBSCO).  Jackie Robinson used his skill on the field and perseverance to play, not only to drive the segregation of blacks off the field, but also throughout America. Even after his amazing MLB career, Jackie worked with different associations, such as the NAACP to end black segregation and create opportunities for blacks to play in professional sports. Jackie Robinson persevered to accomplish his goals throughout his life, and after a tough time on and off the field, he contributed heavily to the civil rights movement and had a big influence on America. Jackie Robinson’s heroism was displayed through his amazing play, positive mind set and perseverance to achieve his goals. Not only did he have these amazing hero like traits, but he also had courage to overcome obstacles he faced.

I Never Had It Made an Auto-biography by Jackie Robinsonhttps://www.harpercollins.com          People throughout America defined Jackie Robinson as a true hero, not only through the perseverance he displayed, but also through his courage to accept the challenges and obstacles he faced. Throughout Jackie Robinson’s Major League Baseball career, he would receive horrible name calling, threats and hate on and off the field. “He received hate mail, death threats and even warnings that his baby boy would be kidnapped” (Gale Biography In Context). In 1947, Jackie Robinson was signed to the Brooklyn Dodgers, agreeing to focus on the game and not retaliate to the verbal and physical harassment. The reason for this was to set a good example for all blacks and show that they really could play without any retaliation. As more and more people started to see Jackie Robinson’s perseverance and courage, the goal he and many others dreamed of, finally started to come true thanks to Jackie. He had a big influence on the end of black segregation and some people know him today as The Baseball Civil Rights Legend. Knowing the consequences to signing the contract into the Major Leagues, Jackie had the courage to ignore the hate he would endure and break the professional sports color barrier.  “Robinson was ready to break the color barrier…Rickey made it clear to his new player, however that the move would not be easy; Robinson would have to learn to hold his notoriously volatile temper and to play through the taunts and abuse that could be expected from fans and fellow players. Robinson accepted the challenge” (EBSCO).  Before his MLB career, a lot of hate or racist comments from the crowd or the opposing teams. Before signing a contract for the Dodgers, Jackie Robinson was warned that there was going to be a lot of hate, racist comments, and discrimination towards him, on and off the field. He was told to control his temper and not retaliate when these things happen, to set a good example for all blacks. With courage, Jackie Robinson represented true heroism, by accepting the challenge and signing the contract. After doing so, Jackie was prepared to cross the color barrier of professional sports and create equality between blacks and whites. By accepting the challenge of entering the MLB, Jackie Robinson showed courage to stand up for what is right and break the color line of not only professional baseball, but for all professional sports.

Jackie Robinson was known as a Baseball Civil Rights Legend, and his number will be remembered for generations.thewoodword.com          Jackie Robinson’s heroism was portrayed through his perseverance to achieve his goals and courage to overcome challenges and obstacles he faced throughout his baseball career. Jackie was a Baseball Legend, leading the Dodgers to many victories, receiving many awards and being the first black man to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Despite all the challenges he faced, he was able to keep his head up, persevere and accept the challenge with courage to achieve his goal of breaking the color barrier of all professional sports. Jackie Robinson was an inspiration to all of us. To be able to have the courage and perseverance to display amazing baseball, with the obstacles and hate he endured, made him a true hero. If he did not do such a good job setting a great example for all blacks, America would not be the same place it is today. Jackie Robinson, a Baseball Civil Rights Legend, was not only an amazing and ambitious player, but he also had a huge influence on the equality of whites and blacks, paving a path for blacks to enter into all professional sports.

Works Cited

"Jackie Robinson." Contemporary Black Biography, vol. 6, Gale, 1994. Biography In Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1606000526/BIC?u=powa9245&sid=BIC&xid=d177078e. Accessed 27 Mar. 2018.  

Payne, Amber. “Ken Burns Film Reveals What You Don't Know about Jackie  nRobinson.”NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 11AD, www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/jackie-robinson-s-legacy-through-lens-ken-burns-n552626.

Witherbee, Amy. "Jackie Robinson." Jackie Robinson, 8/1/2017, p. 1. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=b6h&AN=25160472&site=brc-live.