Branch Rickey Acquires Jackie Robinson’s Contract
Branch Rickey, general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, purchased the contract of Jackie Robinson on this day with the clear intent of playing him and ending racial segregation in major league baseball. Robinson played his first game for the Dodgers, ending the color line in baseball, on April 15, 1947.
Jackie Robinson could not escape the Cold War, however. In large part because of his stature, he was called to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), which wanted him to denounce left-wing African-Americans,particularly Paul Robeson who had recently criticized American foreign poliicy. See his HUAC hearing on July 18, 1949. After his testimony, Robinson took the train back to New York City and led the Brooklyn Dodgers to a 3-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs that night. In one at bat, he walked, stole second, advanced to third on throwing error, and then stole him. Clearly, he was not intimidated or rattled by HUAC.
Robinson was generally nonpolitical, but in an exception to his general policy he became so disgusted with President Dwight Eisenhower’s failure to lead on civil rights that he wrote the president an angry letter, on May 13, 1958.
Learn more: Arnold Rampersad, Jackie Robinson: A Biography (1997)
Watch Jackie Robinson steal home against the Yankees: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XY-XshGhMU
Watch The Jackie Robinson Story (1950): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNm-UlJmKUg
Visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture here