African Americans In Baseball Essay

The History of African Americans in Baseball Baseball has become a major part of American history and culture. However, there was a period of time when white people were mainly playing baseball. Between 1865-1876, there were major changes for African Americans. The series of civil rights acts and three different constitutional amendments gave African Americans more freedom and citizenship. During that time, African American participation in baseball alongside whites was getting more accepted. In 1878, Bud Fowler is the first Black player to join a white team. Unfortunately, in 1887, baseball leagues had an unwritten rule that they would not accept any Black baseball players. When segregation was banned in 1896 by Plessy v. Ferguson, it was

Banks was on the Chicago Cubs team during 1953-1971. He was born on January 31, 1931, and passed away on January 23, 2015. He has many great achievements such as winning the Most Valuable Player Award for two seasons in a row in 1958-1959. He was also known for his passion for the game of baseball and was elected to be in the Baseball Hall of fame in 1977 (Britannica 2023).

Jackie Robinson Robinson was an important athlete and civil rights activist who helped give African Americans the opportunity to be included in Major League Baseball. By becoming the first African American to play in the major leagues, he made history and paved the way for other Black players. Robinson's legacy does not only include his achievements and trophies, but also the fact that he used his platform to support equality.

History of Participation Jackie Robinson's participation in baseball was an important moment in racial equality in America. In 1947, Robinson broke the “color barrier” in Major League Baseball when he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers. This is when he became the first African American to play in the major leagues in the modern era (History.com,

Robinson faced many difficult challenges and discrimination due to his race, especially since he grew up in a family of sharecroppers in Georgia (History.com, 2020). His experiences as a college athlete, a war veteran, and a Black man growing up in America helped him mentally and emotionally prepare for the challenges he would encounter as a professional baseball player. Robinson's opportunities and baseball experience have been impacted by racism, which is rooted deeply in American history. Robinson's socioeconomic status and gender, in addition to his color, had an impact on his baseball involvement because Black men and women had restricted resources and opportunities available to them. Despite these challenges, Robinson's passion and talent enabled him to break those stereotypes and pave the way for upcoming Black athletes.

Successes and Achievements Despite encountering prejudice and hostility from fans, competing athletes, and even some of his own teammates, Robinson went on to have a successful big league career. He was a six-time All-Star, the National League Rookie of the Year in 1947, and helped the Dodgers win one World Series title in addition to six National League pennants (Baseball-Reference.com, n.d.).

Lasting