Which African American baseball pioneer fought racism by personal achievement?A.Jackie RobinsonB.A. Philip RandolphC.Paul RobesonD.W. E. B. DuBoisSUBMITarrow_backPREVIOUS

Jackie Robinson helped to change baseball by:A.speaking out repeatedly against segregation in sportsB.boycotting major league games until they desegregatedC.refusing to join the major leaguesD.becoming the first black player in the major leagues

Whick Black leader of the time, believed Black people should become highly educated, study the arts, and travel the world? aBooker T. Washington bW.E.B. Du Bois cMarcus Garvey dJames Weldon Johnson

Which Black leader of the time, believed Black Americans should return to Africa? aBooker T. Washington bW.E.B. Du Bois cMarcus Garvey dJames Weldon Johnson

Jackie Robinson was prepped for the jeering and racial insults fans hurled at him. After all, it was 1947, and he was the first Black player to take the field in Major League Baseball since 1884. Robinson's arrival brought out the worst in many White Americans, from the inside fastballs thrown at his head to hate mail and death threats. But Robinson endured it all, keeping his eye on the ball and the larger objective of taking down the color barrier in professional sports.There's a story from early in his career that goes like this. Robinson was playing first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers during an away game and ignoring the familiar abuse, when fellow Dodger and all-star shortstop Pee Wee Reese, a White player, called timeout. He crossed the infield to Robinson and slung an arm around his shoulders. They stood like that for a long moment while Reese stared down anyone daring to fling insults at his teammate.The message was more for Robinson than the bigots in the crowd. He got it loud and clear, he said later. He had an ally in the infield, and not just any ally. Reese was one of the most popular players in the league and hailed from the segregated Southern state of Kentucky. By publicly embracing Robinson, Pee Wee Reese was telling the world whose side he was on.At the time, Robinson's rise to the Big Leagues was loaded with significance. The United States was deeply divided along racial lines, in some states by law and in others by existing economic, social, and police practices. A growing civil rights movement was gaining ground, demanding fair treatment, equal rights, and integration. But with the exception of boxing, segregation was the rule in professional sports, including baseball.Then came Jackie Robinson. His ascension from the minor leagues to the Brooklyn Dodgers presented a very public challenge to the United States' claim as the "land of the free," where everyone was treated equally. Robinson represented the promise of a racially integrated society. Many Black Americans felt they had a lot riding on his success or failure both on and off the baseball diamond.In his first year, Robinson hit 12 home runs and led the league in stolen bases. He was named Rookie of the Year. Still, he continued to find himself separated from his White teammates at hotels and restaurants. Opposing players and coaches shouted degrading names at him. Angry fans threatened him from the stands. Robinson had a fiery temper and no tolerance for bigotry. But he kept his cool and played hard and smart, despite the harassment."Plenty of times I wanted to haul off when somebody insulted me for the color of my skin, but I had to hold to myself," Robinson said later. "I knew I was kind of an experiment. The whole thing was bigger than me."Eventually, respect and admiration for him grew, especially as his exceptional play helped the Dodgers win—and they won a lot. His success opened the gates for other Black players, though it took until 1959 for every major league team to integrate.Along the road to baseball immortality and the Hall of Fame, Robinson and Reese became good friends, on the field and off. In some ways, when, where, or even whether Reese put his arm around Robinson to demonstrate his support is beside the point. And the story may be more legend than history. But it became part of baseball lore, a narrative of hope that maybe, just maybe, the country had a chance to overcome its corrosive racial history.Think about and discuss these questions:Why does the author include the story about Pee Wee Reese from early in Jackie Robinson's baseball career?What evidence supports the idea that Jackie Robinson represented the promise of a racially integrated society?TO-DONOTESVOCABULARYQUESTION 3QUESTION 3 OF 8 3 / 8According to the Article, why did Pee Wee Reese publicly embrace Jackie Robinson during a ballgame?A.Because he wanted to send a message to both Robinson and the fans that he was Robinson's allyB.Because he wanted to start a civil rights movement demanding equal rights for all peopleC.Because he knew Robinson's exceptional play was the reason the Dodgers were winning gamesD.Because he knew many people supported the end of segregation in Major League BaseballSUBMITExtras© 2024 Achieve3000 Inc. and its licensors.All Rights Reserved.

Baseball became America’s national sport over 150 years ago, but for over 100 years baseball had beena segregated sport. The refusal to allow black players to play in Major League Baseball continued fromthe mid 1800’s until 1947. Allowing the first black player to playwas known as “breaking the color barrier” and it took a very specialindividual to make it happen. His jersey number was 42. His namewas Jackie Robinson.Segregation was part of the Jim Crow Laws in the Southern States,but even in the North the owners of baseball teams refused to letblack and white players play on the same team. Baseball waspopular with everyone and so Negro Leagues were created andwere successful in catering for their own segregated community.After WW2 one baseball executive, Branch Ricky, the whitepresident of the Brooklyn Dodgers decided that segregation had toend. He knew that there were black players of extremely highquality and that allowing his team to be mixed would help his teamwin. Branch Ricky faced opposition from all around Major LeagueBaseball but pushed on. He had decided on a young talented playernamed Jackie Robinson to be the first to break into this all-white league in 1947.The opposition faced by Branch Ricky wasminimal compared to the abuse faced byRobinson, both on and off the field.Robinson received hundreds of deaththreats, both via mail and in person. Some ofhis Dodgers team mates signed a petition totry to get him kicked off the team. Playersand managers from other clubs hurled abuseat him while he was trying to bat. He wasrefused entry into hotels and restaurantsthat his team was booked into when he travelled.Robinson not only had to put up with the abuse on a personal level, he also had to perform at thehighest level of baseball to prove he was worthy of all the controversy. Robinson succeeded beyond allexpectations. He was named Rookie of the year and was in the running for MVP (Most Valuable Player)in all of baseball in his first year.After Robinson’s controversial beginning, baseballbegan to completely desegregate. His contribution toBaseball and to race relations in America is stillremembered. No longer in baseball is anyoneallowed to wear Jackie’s number 42, it has beenretired, except for one day every year when ALLplayers wear it, April 15, Jackie Robinson Day, theanniversary of his first appearance.20 Jackie RobinsonChanging Rights and Freedoms MacaulayUnderstanding1. Define the words in bold.2. When did baseball become a nationalsport in America?3. For how long was baseball segregated?4. What was letting the first black playerplay known as?5. Who refused to let black players play?6. Which baseball president wanted todesegregate his team?7. Why did he do it?8. What opposition did Jackie Robinsonface?9. How successful was Robinson in his firstyear?10. What is Jackie Robinson’s legacy?