Courage On and Off the Field

1. Set Focus
Pose this essential question: How can people of influence use their power to bring about social change?

2. List Vocabulary
Share some of the challenging vocabulary words in the article (see below). Encourage students to use context to infer meanings as they read.

• segregation (p. 19)
• legacy (p. 19)
• integration (p. 19)
• retaliating (p. 20)
• abolishing (p. 21)
• defiant (p. 21)

3. Engage
Have students examine the photos in the article. Then discuss what LeBron James’s choice of attire in the photo on page 21 suggests about Robinson’s legacy. Revisit this discussion after students read the article.

4. Read and Discuss
Ask students to read the Upfront article about Jackie Robinson. Review why the article is a secondary source. (It was written by someone who didn’t personally experience or witness the events.) Then pose these critical-thinking questions:

• What kinds of abuse did Robinson face both on and off the field while playing for the Dodgers? (On the field, Robinson faced abuse from his own teammates, who asked to be traded and discussed going on strike. Opposing players physically tried to harm him, and spectators and at least one opposing manager shouted racist insults at him. Off the field, he received death threats, and, when the team was traveling through Jim Crow towns, he was barred from being in the same hotels and restaurants as his teammates.)

• How did Robinson respond to the abuse on the field and off? What does the way he handled the abuse reveal about his character? (On the field, he ignored the abuse and did not shout or fight back. Instead, he let his playing do the talking, eventually impressing teammates and fans alike. Off the field, he spoke out against the prejudices he faced despite the fact that doing so brought death threats. His handling of the abuses shows that he was extremely disciplined and brave.)

• Why do you think Robinson continued playing for the Dodgers, even though doing so meant having to continue enduring the abuse? (He knew that helping to integrate professional sports was an important step in breaking down color lines in all aspects of American life. He also wanted to live in a way that he and his family could be proud of.)

• What effect did Robinson’s being on the Dodgers have on Major League Baseball and other spheres of American life? (His effect was enormous. By the time he retired, nearly every team in the league had one Black player, and many had more than one. The NBA integrated while Robinson was still with the Dodgers. He also paved the way for integration in the military and public education.)

5. Use the Primary Sources
Project or distribute the PDF A Voice for Action, which features a letter Jackie Robinson wrote to President Dwight D. Eisenhower urging him to make a strong public statement in support of civil rights during the Little Rock Nine crisis in 1957. Discuss what makes the letter a primary source. (It provides firsthand evidence concerning the topic.) Have students read the letter and answer the questions below (which appear on the PDF without answers).

• In the newspaper statements Robinson refers to, what was Eisenhower advising patience about and who was he suggesting should be patient? (Eisenhower was advising Black Americans to be patient about gaining civil rights, or equality in America.)

• Why does Robinson find this advice frustrating? (Robinson finds this advice frustrating because Black Americans had already long been patient with little result. And throughout their years of patience, they had faced much prejudice. He sees the advice as easy for a White person to give and feel as if they are helping to solve the problem but not actually useful. Furthermore, he finds the advice frustrating because the rights Black Americans were fighting for were guaranteed under the Constitution.)

• What idea does Robinson emphasize with the wording “our Constitution” rather than “the Constitution”? (With this wording, Robinson emphasizes the idea that the Constitution protects the rights not just of White Americans but all Americans.) 

• What does Robinson want Eisenhower to do? How does he try to convince him to do this? Why do you think Eisenhower didn’t take this action early in the crisis? Consider the political and social climate of the time. (Robinson wants Eisenhower to make a public statement strongly advocating in favor of civil rights. Robinson tries to convince him to do this by saying he will be admired around the world, and that if he says nothing, Communist nations will be able to continue using Little Rock to promote Communism. Eisenhower was likely quiet about civil rights out of concern that White voters would turn against him.)

• Based on the Upfront article and Robinson’s letter, why do you think Robinson’s legacy still resonates today? (Students’ responses will vary, but ideas should be supported with evidence from both texts.)

6. Writing Prompt
What issue or issues do you think Robinson would focus his efforts on if he were still alive today? Why? Explain in a brief essay, using evidence from the article to support your ideas.

7. Quiz
Use the quiz to assess comprehension.

8. Classroom Debate
Should the number 42 be retired in all pro sports?

9. Video Connection
Play video clip 6 (https://bit.ly/327jj4E)—“Jackie Robinson and the Freedom Bank”—from the documentary Jackie Robinson. Have students discuss Robinson’s goals in founding the bank and what the clip adds to their understanding of Robinson.