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Topic about Jackie Robinson
Topic about Jackie Robinson
Topic about Jackie Robinson
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Since the 19th century many have suffered marginalization within American society such as African Americans or members of the black community. Throughout the years, blacks have encountered harsh attacks of prestigious; for example racial profiling. Within the last couple centuries actions have been taking place such as enacting new laws, which led to a drastic cultural change that involved major leaders to be part of a revolution. Many people contributed towards the cultural acceptance of blacks in the United States. There are, however, iconic figures that we associate with the drastic changes that lead to equality for African-Americans and black citizens. For example, Harriet Tubman, an African-American abolitionist, first hand experience …show more content…
Being the first African American to play in major league baseball, Jackie Robinson opened opportunities of cultural acceptance. His career with the Brooklyn Dodgers ultimately ended the racial segregation that forced Jackie to play for the Negro Leagues in the 1880s. Robinson outstanding career led him to make history: he was all-star for for six seasons, won Most Valuable Player in 1949, and he had drastically impacted the MLB. We commemorate and honor Jackie for his unforgettable career, especially for being the first African-American major league baseball player; on April 15, “Jackie Robinson Day” when his number, 42, is worn by every player in the …show more content…
Change could not occur just from a cultural movement, but there had to be legislative action. Many laws have been passed towards the black community dating back to the early 1800s such as the Jim Crow Laws. The Jim Crow Laws enforced racial segregation in the Southern States, resulting in many social, economic, and educational disadvantages. The Jim Crow Laws made life less accessible to the people of the black community; however between the years 1865-1870 life became less troublesome. In 1865, the 13th Amendment was ratified and officially abolished slavery or any form of “ forced labor or involuntary servitude.” Two years after, the 14th Amendment was ratified also, granting citizenship to former slaves or anyone “born or naturalized in the United States.” Furthermore, the 15th Amendment gave African-American men the right to vote, however this face difficulty in the South and did not become fully accepted until the Voting Rights Acts of 1965. Lastly, the Brown v. Board of Education is known to be one of the most controversial lawsuits of the 20th century. This Supreme Court case is considered a milestone in Civil Rights history. On May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court announced that all state laws enforcing different educational facilities for blacks and whites to be
Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play Major-League baseball. His inspiring actions and wise words are remembered even now, and on Jackie Robinson day, all baseball players wear his jersey:“42”. Many biographies have been written, and one biography, The Noble Experiment. Recently, in April 2013, Legendary Motion Pictures released a movie entitled “42”. In many ways, the film and Jackie’s autobiography are alike. However, the are also different in many ways.
America’s pastime has been complicated in the last couple centuries, and integration has been a big key in the game of baseball. Like most of America in the 1940’s, baseball was segregated, with whites playing in the Major League system and African-Americans playing in the Negro Leagues. There were many factors that made whites and blacks come together, including World War II. Integration caused many downs in the time period, but as baseball grew and grew it was one of the greatest accomplishments in the history. It was hard to find the right black man to start this, they needed a man with baseball abilities and a man who didn’t need to fight back.
Jackie Robinson decided to fight to be the first African American to integrate the Major League Baseball (MLB). His autobiography states he “was forced to live with snubs rebuffs and rejections” ( Robinson). This quote shows that he was treated unfairly and disrespectfully. In Robinson’s autobiography it also states that Jackie Robinson broke the racial barrier and created equal oppurtunity proving that a “sport can’t be called national if blacks are barred from it”
Jackie Robinson’s ability to successfully integrate his sport set the stage for many others to advocate for an end to segregation in their respective environments. His period of trials and triumphs were significant to changing American perception of the Civil Rights revolution. By becoming the first African-American baseball player to play in the major leagues, he brought down an old misconception that black athletes were inferior to white athletes. Successively, his example would inspire those advocating for their civil rights, he lived out a message of nonviolence similar to the one Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lived out. Despite the constant prejudice he faced in his sport, he was able to keep himself composed and never retaliate.
"Over the decades, African American teams played 445-recorded games against white teams, winning sixty-one percent of them." (Conrads, pg.8) The Negro Leagues were an alternative baseball group for African American baseball player that were denied the right to play with the white baseball payers in the Major League Baseball Association. In 1920, the first African American League was formed, and that paved the way for numerous African American innovation and movements. Fences, and Jackie Robinson: The Biography, raises consciousness about the baseball players that have been overlooked, and the struggle they had to endure simply because of their color.
Jackie Robinson played an important role in helping break the color barrier for all African Americans who had a dream to play major league baseball. Segregation was very high in the mid-1900s and there were separate areas for African Americans to eat, drink, and even use the bathroom. There was a separate baseball league that blacks had to play in and there were absolutely NO blacks in Major League Baseball. That all changed in 1947 when Jackie Robinson was signed to a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers. By signing this contract it gave Jackie the opportunity to do what he loved and help change the major leagues as well.
On December 6, 1865, the thirteenth amendment to the United States constitution was ratified (Archives). This amendment effectively abolished slavery with the exception of a punishment for a crime (Archives). This was a great victory for blacks, who had been the preferred target for slaves. For many, however, the passage of the amendment failed to change the attitudes of white Americans. Blacks were clearly not welcome in many cities across the nation, with laws allowing blacks to work within a city’s limits, but requiring them to leave before sundown.
The case of brown v. board of education was one of the biggest turning points for African Americans to becoming accepted into white society at the time. Brown vs. Board of education to this day remains one of, if not the most important cases that African Americans have brought to the surface for the better of the United States. Brown v. Board of Education was not simply about children and education (Silent Covenants pg 11); it was about being equal in a society that claims African Americans were treated equal, when in fact they were definitely not. This case was the starting point for many Americans to realize that separate but equal did not work. The separate but equal label did not make sense either, the circumstances were clearly not separate but equal. Brown v. Board of Education brought this out, this case was the reason that blacks and whites no longer have separate restrooms and water fountains, this was the case that truly destroyed the saying separate but equal, Brown vs. Board of education truly made everyone equal.
In the late 1800's, more and more blacks became victims of lynchings and Jim Crow laws that segregated blacks. To reduce racial conflicts, I advised blacks to stop demanding equal rights and to simply get along with whites. I urged whites to give black better jobs.
The Brown vs Board of Education as a major turning point in African American. Brown vs Board of Education was arguably the most important cases that impacted the African Americans and the white society because it brought a whole new perspective on whether “separate but equal” was really equal. The Brown vs Board of Education was made up of five different cases regarding school segregation. “While the facts of each case are different, the main issue in each was the constitutionality of state-sponsored segregation in public schools ("HISTORY OF BROWN V. BOARD OF EDUCATION") .”
When Jackie’s number was retired, he became a national hero (Jackie Robinson: A Man who Changed the World 7). He shows the incredible things that humans can do black or white, and drug free. Also, he is known as one of the biggest factors in the civil rights movement (Jackie Robinson: A Man who Changed the World 7). He was one of the biggest factors because when he became the first African American in the MLB he did not just show that color does not mater, but he also showed that our thoughts and beliefs are the reason there is discrimination in our world. Jackie played in the MLB and showed the world that color should not matter because if it did then how did he do what he
In the time after the fall of radical black reconstruction of the nineteenth century, African Americans were being oppressed by rural farming, civil rights, economical advancement and sharecropping. Booker T. Washington charged the fight for economical and political accommodation with his dream of equal civil rights. Timothy Thomas Fortune was an influential black journalist that fought for the rights of African Americans through literal resistance. The Lonely Warrior, Ida B. Wells was an outspoken voice against lynching throughout America and fought against the oppression of men and woman everywhere.
There is no doubt the civil rights era was a time of progressive movement towards equality. With limited help from the government and racial tensions still high, made integration almost impossible to work with making civil rights passed. But big leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr., Malcom X, and Bayard Rustin revolutionized the way blacks should think about how to enhance the black community. Each leader had their own approach to solving the black community’s racial problems. King prefers to take a peaceful protest, while X was more inclined to separation from the whites, and Rustin’s approach was more of enhancing the black community through economic prosperity.
Breaking the Racial Barrier in Baseball Although Jackie Robinson was not the best African-American baseball player of his time, his attitude and ability to handle racist harassment led the way for the rest of his race to play Major League Baseball, amongst other sports. Being accepted into professional sports also helped African-Americans become more easily accepted into other aspects of life. Jackie's impact in the world for the black population is enormous. According to Jessie Jackson, "A champion wins a World Series or an Olympic event and is hoisted on the shoulders of the fans.
When we look back on the history of America many events occurred that are either frowned upon, or seen as the glory days. The events that are the glory days or the highest points in American life such as Independence from England helped to make America what it is today. Those events that we look back on, that are not the best periods of time, such as slavery and African Americans fight for Rights in the 1960's, also helped to make the United States what it is today. When in the 1960's, leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr., and religious leaders such as Malcolm X, stood forward to talk about the rights that were taken away from African Americans, they were look down upon. Today however, they are heroes to us. The steps and actions made by them to free the African American people from segregation, and for them to have a chance at having equal rights and liberties as stated by the constitution. After the end of slavery and the writing of the Emancipation Proclamation the first steps were made towards civil rights. The 1940's to the 1960's were a section in time where racial injustice was done to the African American people. As we came to the 1960's a change came to the United States in the goals, strategies, and the support towards the movement for African Americans civil rights.