I have been playing baseball since I was four years old. It is the sport that I excel at and really enjoy. When deciding on a topic for this year’s history fair, I decided to choose something relating to baseball since that’s what I’m interested in. I saw the topic of Breaking the Color Barrier: Jackie Robinson. Throughout my baseball years, I have played with people of different races. I cannot imagine what it would be like to play in a segregated league. I wanted to learn more about what Jackie Robinson did and what his role was as it relates to this year’s theme of a turning point that showed significant change in history.
I started my project by going to the library and checking out two books related to Jackie Robinson and his role in the integration of baseball. I found an autobiography he wrote before he died and another book that gave an account of his baseball career. These books spoke of the actions and struggles that occurred, which had a historic impact on the segregation of baseball.
I also did a lot of research on the internet. The internet sources gave detailed accounts of how Jackie Robinson changed the game of baseball and impacted society during a very racist time in history. I printed several articles that related to his biography and how his decisions affected other African Americans.
Because Jackie Robinson died in 1972, I wanted to try to find an interview and video that would be helpful to my project. In my search, I found an Eyewitness to History article that gives the account of the interview between Branch Rickie and Jackie Robinson. This interview is significant because it was Branch Rickie who chose Robinson for what became known as “The Noble Experiment” of a black man playing in a white league. I also was able to find a very good video that is relevant to Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in baseball and how his actions opened the door for other black athletes.
I decided to do a website for my history fair project because I thought it would be the best way to tell the historic shift in civil rights in baseball. I also wanted to be able to play music, show a video clip, and display pictures. My dad helped me set up the website through Weebly.com and design the pages. Once I had all my pages the way I wanted them, I was able to add pictures, text, and interconnect the video and music. It turned out to be a really cool project.
My project relates to this year’s theme: Turning Points in History: People, Ideas, and Events because Jackie Robinson’s role in breaking the color barrier in baseball changed the course of history by making advancements in the cause of civil rights for black athletes. During a time of racial inequality and civil rights movements, Jackie Robinson persevered in an unstable time in American history.
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Annotated Bibliography
Primary Resources:
“Jackie Robinson Breaks Baseball’s Color Barrier, 1945.” 2005. Eyewitness to History. 18 December 2012. <http://eyewitnessto history.com/robinson.htm>.
I used this website because it was an account of the interview that took place between Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey where Rickey told him he would have to “turn the other cheek” in order to play Major League Baseball.
Robinson, Jackie. I Never Had It Made. New York: Putnam, 1972.
This autobiography gave me a first-hand account of Jackie Robinson’s life experiences and baseball career. From the book, I gathered information about his childhood, college, his time in the service, and how he felt about playing in Major League Baseball.
Secondary Resources:
“Jackie’s Day Calls, but few Players Listen.” 15 April 2009. Online Image. ESPN MLB. 29 December 2012. <http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story? columnist=bryant_howard&id=4068889>.
I used this image of Jackie Robinson holding the 1949 National League MVP award on my “Accomplishments” page.
“Jackie Robinson Broke the Color Barrier in 1947.” 13 April 2012. Online Video. MLB Community.org. 6 January 2013. <http://web.mlbcommunity.org/media/video.jsp?content_id=20581347&topic_id=24396230&tcid=vpp_copy_20581347&v=3>.
I used this video to show how Jackie Robinson’s integration in Major League Baseball was a turning point in history for other black athletes.
“Jackie Robinson in Kansas City Monarchs Uniform, Breaking the Color Line: 1940-1946.” Online Image. Today in History. 30 December 2012. <http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/april15.html>.
I used this picture of Jackie Robinson in his Kansas City Monarchs uniform on my “Who was Jackie Robinson” page.
“Jackie Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Posed and Ready to Swing.” 1954. Online Image. World Digital Library. 29 December 2012. <http://www.wdl.org/en/item/29/>.
I used this image of Jackie Robinson on my “Home” page of my weebly website.
Jackie Robinson’s Historic Impact. 19 April 2007. Workers World. 16 December 2012. <http://www.workers.org/2007us/jackie-robinson-0426/>.
This website gave me a better understanding of the racial tension in our country during the time that Jackie Robinson was starting his career. Jackie’s entry into Major League Baseball during this time had a significant impact in the civil rights movement in the United States.
Jackie Robinson. United States History. 18 December 2012. <http://u-s-history.com/pages/h2068.html>.
This website documented the impact that Jackie Robinson had on our country. It gave information about his early years, his education, military service, the racial history of professional baseball, and his legacy in the Major Leagues.
“Jackie Robinson.” 11 October 2011. Online Image. Blogspot.com. 29 December 2012. <http://iseedeadpeople-andy.blogspot.com/2011/10/jackie-robinson.html>.
I used this image of Jackie Robinson with Branch Rickey and his wife, Rachel Robinson at Jackie’s induction to the Hall of Fame on my “Accomplishments” page.
Jackie Robinson. 2012. The Biography Channel website. 28 December 2012. <http://www.biography.com/print/profile/jackie-robinson-9460813>.
I used this article because it supported my primary source regarding Jackie Robinson’s struggles and achievements in breaking the color barrier.
“Robinson, Jackie: Signing Major League Contract with Rickey, 1948.” 1945. Online Image. Brittanica.com. 29 December 2012. <http://www.britannica.com/EBcheked/media/113946/Jackie-Robinson-shaking-Branch-Rickeys-hand-after-signing-his-first>.
I used this image of Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey on my “Why Now” page indicating the agreement they had made to sign Jackie Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers.
This article focused on the importance of baseball during the late 1940’s and how Jackie Robinson was the right player at the right time. It also talked about Jackie’s accomplishments and impact he had outside of baseball.
Rubinstein, William. “Jackie Robinson and the Integration of Major League Baseball.” History Today Volume: 53 Issue: 9. Sport and Society. 28 December 2012. <http://www.historytoday.com/william-rubinstein/jackie-robinson-and-integration-major-league-baseball>.
This article gave information about why Branch Rickey scouted Jackie Robinson and what his motives were in signing Jackie.
Simon, Scott. Jackie Robinson and the Integration of Baseball. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2002.
This book gave me useful facts about Jackie Robinson and some of the struggles he endured by being the first African American player to play in an all-white league.
“The Better Angels of our Nature.” 2011. Online Image. Wordpress.com. 29 December 2012. <http://verdun2.wordpress.com/2011/02/04/the-better-angles-of-our-nature/>
I used this online image of Jackie Robinson with PeeWee Reese on my “Breaking the Color Barrier” page to show his friendly relationship with his white teammate.
“The Resurrection of Black Baseball: Adam Jones.” 8 April 2011. Online Image. AstuteMagazine. 29 December 2012. <http://astutemagazine.com/poppage/the-black-baseball-resurrection-adam-jones/>.
I used this image of Adam Jones of the Baltimore Orioles on my “Turning Point” page to show how other African American baseball players have benefited from Jackie Robinson’s courage.