Jackie Robinson and Race in America: A Brief History with Documents (The Bedford Series in History and Culture)

Jackie Robinson made history when he debuted in major league baseball in 1947. This volume recounts Robinson’s story as a pioneer of civil rights and explores how and why the racial integration of professional baseball profoundly affected American society and culture. The introduction places Robinson’s trailblazing achievement in the historical context of U.S. race relations. A rich collection of primary sources includes the voices of the black press and community as well as those of white commentators to reveal the range of responses to the integration of America’s "national pastime." Illustrations, document headnotes, a chronology, questions to consider, and a bibliography enrich students’ understanding of Robinson and race in America.