Jackie Robinson was a great leader for not only his team but for the civil rights movement, politics and social achievements. Robinson once said “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives”. He was born January 31st, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia. Jackie is most recognized for being the first black player in the major leagues. He was the youngest of 5 children raised in relative poverty, by a single mother, after his father abandoned the family. He attended John Muir High School and Pasadena Junior College where he played four sports baseball, football, track, and basketball. He was named the region's Most Valuable Player in baseball in 1938. Jackie continued his education at the University of California, where he became the university's first student to win varsity letters in four sports. He was forced to leave short of graduating from UCLA because of financial hardship. He then moved to Honolulu Hawaii where he played football for the semi-professional Honolulu Bears. His season with the Bears was cut short when the United States entered into World War II. For two years he served as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. Jackie achieved a lot on the field. He led his team to the ultimate glory, Winning the World Series in 1955 and making it to it a total of 6 times. He was also Named National League Rookie of the Year in 1947,. Jackie led the National League in stolen bases in 1947 and 1949. Led second basemen in double plays 1949, 1950, 1951 and 1952. He was elected as the National League MVP in 1949 and won the 1949 batting title with a .342. batting average. He was on the National League All-Star Team, 1949-1954 and had a career batting average of .311. Jackie Robinson was also a civil rights activist. He was a part of NAACP also known as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. His travels and activities in civil rights soon got him into politics. Jackie was attracted to the Republican Party. He admired President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Vice President Richard M. Nixon because of their ability to follow up on things. He noticed President Eisenhower’s silence on the topic of civil rights. In 1958 Jackie wrote to him concerning the issue. He also regularly wrote and talked to state and federal leaders about their negligence in black right advancements. Jackie spoke at banquets, gave lectures and soliciting membership throughout the country for Civil Rights. “In 1958 he was elected to the NAACP board of directors. Outside of the NAACP he also served as the grand marshal for the Youth March for Integrated Schools.
“On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson shocked the world and changed not only the history of sports, but changed America. “Facing criticism, ignoring the racial slurs, and following his true passion, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball”. Jackie was a good leader but people often recognized him as being too violent. He led the way for colored people playing in major league baseball. “A true leader is someone who people willingly follow and listen to as well as someone who has the ability to influence and motivate others. ”He was an example and would change the world by his success in civil rights, if he would have failed in the major leagues it might now have made the changes we see today possible. He died He died from heart problems and diabetes complications on October 24, 1972 and was the first African-American to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. In 1972, the Dodgers retired his uniform number of 42.

Schwartz, Larry. "Jackie Changed Face of Sports." ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures, n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2015.

"Jackie Robinson." Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2015. Web. 13 Jan. 2015.

"Module 08: Jackie Robinson, Civil Rights Leader?" Context. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2015.

"Jackie Robinson." Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2015. Web. 13 Jan. 2015.