Jackie Robinson

This Biography chronicles the life and athletic career of Jackie Robinson. While Jackie Robinson's athletic ability made him an American hero, his larger contribution to American history took place off the field in the arena of civil rights and race relations. Jackie Robinson explores the achievements of Jackie Robinson, both on and off the field.

Jackie Robinson will be useful for classes on American history, African American history, sports history, civics and popular culture. It is appropriate for middle and high school students.

• ancestry
• bigot
• discrimination
• elated
• integration
• pervasive
• resilient
• skeptical
• virulent

1. It is said that Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier. Discuss what is meant by this phrase. Does America today still have a color barrier?

2. How did Jackie Robinson's off the field qualities influence Branch Rickey's decision to sign him with the Brooklyn Dodgers?

3. What impact did Jackie Robinson have on civil rights and racial intolerance? Compare Jackie Robinson's role in the civil rights movement with that of Dr. Martin Luther King.

4. Andrew Young called Jackie Robinson a gentleman athlete. What does this phrase mean? To which athlete today could this term apply?

5. Do todays superstar athletes, such as Michael Jordan, owe a debt of gratitude to Jackie Robinson? Does society in general owe a debt of gratitude to Jackie Robinson?

6. Is Jackie Robinson a true American hero?

7. Jackie Robinson said: a life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives. What impact has Jackie Robinson's life had on other lives? What impact has he had on your own life?

8. When Jackie and Rachel Robinson sought to buy a home, they encountered racial prejudice. They were not allowed to purchase a home in certain neighborhoods. How did Jackie Robinson, along with other civil rights leaders, work to change things?

1. Create a baseball card for Jackie Robinson. Instead of listing his baseball statistics, list his accomplishments in civil rights and his influence on American sports and society.

2. Create a timeline that simultaneously chronicles both Jackie Robinson's life and events in America.

3. Create a poster to advertise Jackie Robinson's first major league baseball game with the Brooklyn Dodgers. What would you emphasize in order to bring in the crowds?

4. Write a letter to the editor of the Brooklyn Eagle (a Brooklyn newspaper in circulation during Jackie Robinson's career) telling your feelings and reactions to the first game that Jackie Robinson played with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

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Air Dates

• January 28, 2005