Jackie Robinson

So I guess I was supposed to write something about African Americans or something. Since everybody else is writing about Martin Luther King Jr and the civil rights people I wanted to write about someone else. So why not Jackie Robinson? A famous baseball player in the US, but that few Europeans have heard about.

Jackie Robinson was born in Georgia in 1919. At this time Jim Crow laws were still in effect, and segregation was a major problem. Mr. Robinson did not experience that much discrimination during his childhood years, but of course he experienced some. It was not until he was drafted in 1942 he experienced "serious" discrimination. Mr. Robinson was sent to Fort Riley in Kansas where he was training with other blacks (back then the army was still segregated). Joe Louis, the famous boxer was also stationed at Fort Riley. In 1943 Mr. Robinson was transferred to Fort Hood, Texas where he became a part of the 761st Tank Battalion. This was an infantry unit only consisting black soldiers. Although the unit went over to Europe and served over there during WWII Mr. Robinson was held back. He had offended a white bus driver by not moving to the back of the bus when told so. Although most charges were dropped, Mr. Robinson was still given an “honorable discharge”. 

From the years 1944-1947 Mr. Robinson played football for a football club in Los Angeles, and he played baseball in the Negro League. However in 1946 he was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers (now known as the L.A Dodgers), making him the first African American in major league baseball. 15. April 1947 Mr. Robinson played his debut game for a packed Ebbets Field. This is by some considered to be one of the most important moments that later lead to the civil rights movement that started with Rosa Parks in 1955.

In 1962 Mr. Robinson was given a spot in the baseball Hall of Fame and in 1972 fatal heart attack lead to his death. Still, having been dead for 37 years Jackie Robinson's legacy lives on. He is often listed in different lists, like in 1999 when Time Magazine ranked him among the 100th most influential persons of the 20th century. This is just one of many rankings where the name Jackie Robinson is listed. Today his legacy is still alive and so it will for many years to come.