Comic illustration of Jackie Robinson

All illustrations by Dave Shephard

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History Makers

Jackie Robinson

Seventy-five years ago, he changed baseball—and helped change America.

As You Read, Think About: What challenges did Robinson face during the 1947 season?

Competing for Equality
Watch a video about Jackie Robinson and other ground-breaking Black athletes.

On April 15, 1947, more than 25,000 fans packed into Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York. It was opening day of the new baseball season. Fans had come to watch the Dodgers and get their first look at the team’s new first baseman, Jackie Robinson. When he stepped onto the field that day 75 years ago, Robinson changed the game. He shattered the barrier that had kept Black players out of Major League Baseball for decades. 

Separate Leagues

In the 1940s, many parts of American society still had forced segregation. That included professional baseball. An unwritten rule had barred Black players from the major leagues since the 1880s. Instead, they had to play in poor conditions and for low pay in the Negro Leagues. (The term Negro once was used to refer to Black people. It is now considered outdated and offensive.)

Branch Rickey, the president of the Dodgers, wanted to change that. Rickey knew it would take a special player who had more than talent. He’d also need the courage not to fight back when faced with racism. After meeting Robinson, Rickey knew he’d found the right player. 

Keeping His Cool

During his first season with the Dodgers, Robinson faced challenges that no other player had to deal with. He received death threats from racist fans. Players shouted insults at him. When the Dodgers played in other cities, Robinson often wasn’t allowed to stay in the same hotels as his White teammates.

Many of those teammates didn’t offer Robinson much support. Some of them didn’t like the idea of playing alongside a Black man. Through it all, Robinson never lost his cool. 

“I had to fight hard against loneliness, abuse, and the knowledge that any mistake I made would be magnified because I was the only Black man out there,” he later wrote in his autobiography.

Despite all the challenges, Robinson proved he was as good as the best White players. After the 1947 season, he won baseball’s first Rookie of the Year award.

Changing the Game

Robinson opened baseball’s doors to more Black players. They finally got a chance to show all of America what they could do.

Robinson retired from baseball after the 1956 season. Many leaders credited him with playing a key role in the civil rights movement. Martin Luther King Jr. called Robinson “a legend in his own time.”

Though Robinson died in 1972, he continues to be an inspiration today. 

“He knew the importance of standing up for what you believe in,” says his daughter, Sharon Robinson.

American All-Star

Here are some key moments in Jackie Robinson’s life.

Enlargeable comic illustration of Jackie Robinson playing football

Robinson was a football star at the University of California, Los Angeles from 1939 to 1940.

Enlargeable comic illustration of Jackie Robinson sliding into a base

In 1955, Robinson helped the Dodgers win their first World Series championship.

Enlargeable comic illustration of people protesting

On August 28, 1963, Robinson took part in the famous March on Washington in the nation’s capital. 

Close-Reading Questions

  1. How did segregation in baseball affect Black players from the 1880s to the 1940s?
  2. What was Jackie Robinson’s first season in Major League Baseball like? Use details from the article.
  3. What does the expression “opened baseball’s doors” mean?

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