What is Jackie Robinson's Legacy?
Jackie Robinson's Legacy will be remembered as one of the most important in Black and American History. In 1997, the world celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Jackie breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier. In doing so, we honored the man who stood against those who would work to keep racism and segregation and acknowledged the influence of one man's life on the American culture. When Jackie first stepped onto the field for his first game he said “I’m not concerned with your liking or disliking me … All I ask is that you respect me as a human being" this was his philosophy.
To the average man in the average American community, Jackie Robinson was just what the sports pages said he was, no more, no less. He was the first Negro to play baseball in the major leagues. Everybody knew that. . . . In remembering him, I tend to de-emphasize him as a ball player and emphasize him as an informal civil rights leader. That's the part that drops out, that people forget.
-Rachel Robinson, Jackie's widow
Source:
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/jackie-robinson/
Jackie Robinson's Legacy will be remembered as one of the most important in Black and American History. In 1997, the world celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Jackie breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier. In doing so, we honored the man who stood against those who would work to keep racism and segregation and acknowledged the influence of one man's life on the American culture. When Jackie first stepped onto the field for his first game he said “I’m not concerned with your liking or disliking me … All I ask is that you respect me as a human being" this was his philosophy.
To the average man in the average American community, Jackie Robinson was just what the sports pages said he was, no more, no less. He was the first Negro to play baseball in the major leagues. Everybody knew that. . . . In remembering him, I tend to de-emphasize him as a ball player and emphasize him as an informal civil rights leader. That's the part that drops out, that people forget.
-Rachel Robinson, Jackie's widow
Source:
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/jackie-robinson/