Jackie Robinson, Civil Rights Advocate

To the average man in the average American community, Jackie Robinson was just what the sports pages said he was, no more, no less. He was the first Negro to play baseball in the major leagues. Everybody knew that. . . . In remembering him, I tend to de-emphasize him as a ball player and emphasize him as an informal civil rights leader. That's the part that drops out, that people forget. -Rachel Robinson

Jack Roosevelt Robinson (1919-72), the first black man to "officially" play in the big leagues in the 20th century, possessed enormous physical talent and a fierce determination to succeed. In the course of a distinguished 10-year career beginning in 1947, Robinson led the Brooklyn Dodgers to six National League titles and one victorious World Series. Beyond his many and stellar baseball feats, Jackie Robinson went on to champion the cause of civil rights when he retired from the game.

The National Archives and Records Administration holds numerous records relating to Jackie Robinson, many of which pertain to his period of civil rights advocacy

The Documents

1. Telegram to the White House
   August 13, 1957
2. Letter to President Eisenhower
   May 13, 1958
3. Draft letter from Vice-President Nixon
   November 4, 1960
4. Letter to President Kennedy
   February 9, 1961
5. Telegram to President Kennedy
   June 15, 1963
6. Photograph
   August 28, 1963
7. Telegram to President Johnson
   March 9, 1965
8. Letter to President Johnson
   April 18, 1967
9. Letter to the White House
   April 20, 1972

   Jackie Robinson Quotes

Lesson Resources

Standards Correlations

Teaching Activities: Civil Rights History

Teaching Activities: Civic Responsibility

Document Analysis Worksheet

Photograph Analysis Worksheet