Jackie Robinson

baseball · hero · civil rights · courage

First African American. Jackie Robinson made history on April 15, 1947, when he started at first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers, breaking the color line that had kept Black players out of Major League Baseball for decades.

Segregation in sports. Before Robinson, Black baseball players were forced to play in separate Negro leagues instead of competing in the major leagues alongside white players.

Changed the game forever. Robinson's signing by the Dodgers marked the beginning of the end of racial segregation in professional baseball, opening doors for many other Black athletes.

Incredible courage. Robinson's decision to play despite facing discrimination showed tremendous bravery and helped inspire the broader civil rights movement in America.