Jackie Robinson The Man That Proved The World Wrong

Jackie Robinson the man that paved the way for all African American athletes breaking the racial barriers to be the first African American professional athlete. Mr. Robinson was a premier athlete that was known for stealing bases. A man by the name of Branch Rickey 1st recognized the talent in Mr. Robinson. He saw skill and character of a player rather then the color of his skin. Mr. Rickey was a professional baseball player for the dodgers at this time but he also played for UCLA so he often came back and watched the baseball team that he once played for.  What many people don’t know is Mr. Robinson was a student of UCLA receiving four varsity letters in four different sports Track Field, Baseball, and Football and boxing. To be one of the top athletes at his school I find it funny that he was forced to leave due to a financial situation, but at that time of day blacks weren't given scholarships. (Worthy) From the years 1942 to 1944 Mr. Rickey stopped worrying about Jackie because he decided to enlist in the military. Mr.  Robinson did not want to go but was forced to help his family put food on the table. Mr. Robinson never faced combat due to being discharged from the military due to a political act of not giving up his seat to a white man on a bus. (Worthy)
Mr. Robinson was known for his attitude and little tolerance to racism through out his life so him becoming the first African American to enter the Majors would be the hardest task for him yet. When Mr. Robinson was discharged he joined the Negro league where his numbers were outstanding. Not say the Negro league was full of amateurs but it was clear from an early start that
Jackie needed more competition (Worthy). At this point of time Branch Rickey became the manager of the Dodgers and once finding out that Mr. Robinson was still as good as he was in college if not better he knew he had to sign him to a deal. Mr. Rickey was very hesitant at first something many people don’t know is the decision he made of signing Mr. Robinson almost cost him his job after making such a huge decision with only being a Manger for two seasons. (Worthy)
Branch knew this was decision would change the face of baseball. A change that was long overdue I  personally think. Jackie made it clear from the start that he wasn't here to be an experiment and if that was Mr. Rickey’s  plan to not even waste his time.(Worthy) Mr. Robinson had a slow start to his major league career. He was a main target whites saw him as competition. They didn't even give him a chance throwing balls straight at him. That is where his true skill was defined learning to steal bases that is where he was most productive he looked at it as if you were not gonna give me a chance to hit I will learn to steal bases and score on my own and he was indeed very good at it.(Worthy)
 Mr. Robinson was known for getting in trouble frequently dealing with the discrimination he faced. One indecent almost costing him his career. What many people don't know in Kentucky the year 1952, Mr. Robinson was arrested for assaulting a white man after his game was sentenced to jail and missed two games. Mr. Rickey was already aware of how the incident started do to something racial but when spoken to Robinson his most famous quote said to him " I don't want a player strong enough to fight, but a player strong enough to walk away" (Cloumns). That is finally when Robinson reached his peak in his professional career, he tuned out everything all to focus on baseball. He soon gained the respect of all his teammates and the dodgers became a championship contender. Mr. Robinson led his team to win a championship the year of 1955. Jackie Robinson overall career was outstanding being one of the best second base men to play in history also being inducted into the hall of fame (Cloumus).

Mr. Robinson career is still long lived a movie was recently made about him called "42" , portraying his life. Mr. Robinson faced the world and conquered not to say his skills didn't speak for them self but to have everyone begging to see you fail I believe Robinson did indeed excel. His number is retired on the dodgers but they are in talks of his son James Robinson wearing his number if he plays for the dodgers.(Cloumns) To be a leader during the civil rights you don't always have to have people to follow you sometimes just by doing the right thing you get the attention of so many. I know Mr. Robinson was considered a hero to all black young men that played baseball. He may of had a few bumps along the way but I appreciate Jackie Robinson for all he did for breaking the lines my only question is I wonder if Jackie knows the impact he really had on so many of us? Did he know how big it really was to be the first black man in the majors?.... The world will never know, Thank you Jackie.

Cloumns, More P. "Jackie Robinson Was a Legend as a Player, as Well as a Pioneer." SI.com. Sports Illustrated, 32 Mar. 2003. Web. 26 Feb. 2014

Worthy, Peter M. "Jackie Robinson Breaks Baseball's Color Barrier, 1945." Jackie Robinson Breaks Baseball's Color Barrier, 1945. BLACK AMERICA, 1 Feb. 1999. Web. 26 Feb. 2014. <http://eyewitnesstohistory.com/robinson.htm>.

      

Harriet Tubman- The Union Spy

Harriet Tubman was an African-American abolitionist, humanitarian, and a union spy during the American Civil War during the years of 1861-1865.  Being born into slavery in 1819 her life was not easy.  She was raised under very harsh conditions including being whipped as a child.  As years passed, at the age of 25 Harriet Tubman married John Tubman, who was a free African American male.  A few years later fearing that Harriet would be sold to the south, she made her escape.
Her first stop was in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Here is where she met William Still, the station master of the Underground Railroad.  With the help of Will, Harriet became quite familiar with the use of the Underground Railroad and how it operates.  Harriet used the Underground Railroad to help withhold many friends and family members in the process of escaping from slavery.  She led them safely to the northern Free states and to Canada. It was very threatening to be a runaway slave. Whenever Tubman led a group of slaves to freedom, she placed herself in a tremendous amount of danger. There was a bounty offered for her capture because she was a fugitive slave herself, and she was breaking the law in slave states by helping other slaves escape. Tubman made 19 trips to Maryland and helped 300 people to freedom.  During these treacherous journeys she helped rescue members of her own family, including her 70-year-old parents. At one point, rewards for Tubman's capture totaled $40,000. Yet, she was never captured and never failed to deliver her "passengers" to safety.  (BradFord)
Despite Harriet’s reward for her capture, she was never betrayed. Her work was worshiped upon by many.  She was known as the Underground Railroads greatest conductor, and was sometimes referred to “the Moses of her people”, while leading them out of slavery.   With that being said, Harriet Tubman was a great leader during the Civil war, whether it was while leading people towards the underground railroad, or let alone, an African American women.  Harriet is still glorified by many till this day.

Bradford, Sarah.  Harriet Tubman: The Moses of Her People.  New York Corinth Books, 1886.

http://www.americaslibrary.gov/aa/tubman/aa_tubman_rail_1.html

Abe Lincoln Process of freeing slaves in America

President Lincoln our 16^th President, the President of the Civil War, who also dealt with the conflict of slavery.  In the beginning of his presidency he made it clear that he did not like thought of enslaving human beings as if they were animals but he tolerated for three main reasons. Our constitution gave the federal government no power when it came to the control of slavery being that slavery was already in tact before the constitution I guess the writers felt to leave it alone, the Second reason Abe new the problems that would come if he completely shut down slavery without doing it gradually, and third what would all these slaves do being free…just because there free doesn’t mean that they would have to be hired for a job how would slaves be able to live in America after the harsh treatment they faced and just to be set free they wouldn’t know how to live on their own.(Davidson)

            Abe new the subject of slavery was a very tuff situation to be dealt with and how he would go about it without going against the constitution would be the biggest problem yet. If you have read the bill of rights or the articles of confederation, there is nothing about slaves because they never actually had rights.(Mount) I assume the writers believed that slavery was never going to end so why speak on it. The first thought documented of abolishing slavery was by Patrick Henry despite his citizenship in a slave state. In 1773, he wrote, "I believe a time will come when an opportunity will be offered to abolish this lamentable evil. Everything we do is to improve it, if it happens in our day; if not, let us transmit to our descendants, together with our slaves, a pity for their unhappy lot and an abhorrence of slavery.("Mount) This did come in existence when Lincoln reached presidency and even before.

            During the civil war with the north and south, President Lincoln was drafting ideas for the emancipation of proclamation of the ten states that still weren’t slave free.(Davidson) Abe a military man new his proclamation would mean nothing if the north wasn’t going to win the war, so he had to play it out as the war continued which was smart on Lincolns part to not make him look like a fool.

            Lincolns first idea of abolishing slavery was simply shipping slaves back to where they came from in Africa, the West Indies, or Central America, where their color would mean nothing they could get a fresh start. (Davidson) I didn’t really know why this would be a good idea, those being my ancestors I feel like the people that enslaved my people owed us more than that. Lincoln didn’t go through with this idea for some of the same reasons as me he knew that wouldn’t have been enough and resulting back to his third reason who is stopping the slaves from coming back and starting an unneeded war against the people that enslaved them.

The congress didn’t really help Lincoln when it came to the abolishment of slavery at first they knew it was something that needed to be dealt with but they didn’t feel the time was now. Which I didn’t really understand because it was off the time of the civil war but I guess everyone was trying to see how that played out before any other actions took place I guess the “American way”. The first thing Abe got the congress to approve of was the “Law Enacting an Additional Article of War” which was set in store of March 13^{th of 1862}   which guaranteed slaved there freedom if they got to a free state in the north. (Waters) This is where I think the south new they were losing this war having the congress agree with the president was far from good for them.

Abe next idea was paying all slave owners to free slaves as if they already weren’t making enough money, the government was willing to pay slave owners to free the slaves which many people did not know. Surprisingly nobody in the south took up this offer, why would they need to these slaves owners were rich they had no need for a certain payment over a salary payment this was all brought up around in July of 1862. (Waters)

Lincoln used his powers as Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, "as a necessary war measure" as the basis of the proclamation he gives to Americas people. He is said to have reviewed this with many people before actually addressing it. The proclamation was issued in two parts the 1^st freeing all slaves in the north which was only a small percentage but it was clear a time was coming where every slave in America would be free.  (Waters)There was a “battle of antinem” that would be the determining factor if this proclamation would stand or if it wouldn’t. The north winning this brought us to the second part of the proclamation freeing of all slaves in America. Lincoln even named the states especially to make sure they were clear that slavery was officially abolished. (Waters)

President Lincoln is a civil rights leader in my eyes because he gave slaves there freedom he knew it wasn’t right and for him to stand up amongst his peers and do that shows how confident of a man he was. Lincoln knew doing this he wasn’t going to guarantee the fairness of African Americans but at least it was a start, knowing that he would lose votes and even hurt his chances of being reelected he did what he had to do. The Emancipation of Proclamation is a document of freedom; Lincoln is recognized during black history month every year for what he did and that I’m sure not me but all African Americans are thankful.   

 

Waters, Peter B. "Effects Of The Emancipation Proclamation." Historyrocket. Copyright © 2012 Historyrocket.com, All Rights Reserved, 7 Jan. 1999. Web. 18 Feb. 2014.

Mount, Steve P. "U.S. Constitution." Constitutional Topic: Slavery. 1995-2010 by Craig Walenta. All Rights Reserved, 20 May 2010. Web. 18 Feb. 2014.

Davidson, TJ P. "Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. Emancipation Proclamation. - Abraham Lincoln." Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. Emancipation Proclamation. - Abraham Lincoln. Mr. Lincoln and Freedom © 2002-2014 The Lincoln Institute, 3 Apr. 2002. Web. 17 Feb. 2014.

Two Blogs

My two blogs that I have done so far that I feel will benefit my Final Paper would be my Black Panther and History of MLK they are very deep in content. I feel like there so much more info I could add to make them better. The Black Panthers situation I feel like should of been a movie the way one of the leaders kept so many secrets and they all came out in the end. Martin Luther King is the key to these racial times without him I feel like the history of my other blogs wouldn't have exist. I feel like my blog overall has spoken on major people and major events that help create what we call history

Jim Crow Laws

Jim Crow laws

Jim Crow a song and dance created by a white man named Thomas Dartmouth Rice, The dance is Rice portrayed as a slave doing everything that he has been told a form of humiliation to blacks, but entertainment to whites. Mr. Rice became very famous for this not only in America but Europe for his infamous stand up portraying a slave by putting make-up on his face to look like an African American., around the end of the 19th century this became a law(Roberts).
The Jim Crow law came in affect during what Americans call the “Reconstruction” time. Slavery had finally been outlawed and it was very clear that the African-Americans were treated far from fair. The Democratic Party legislated the Jim Crow laws (Tapscott). The Democratic Party is also the source of literacy test, which are test that made it harder for blacks to vote (Tapscott). They were outrages test that weren't made to pass, as the whites knew but it was very clear the goal was to give the blacks the least amount of power they can get even though they were so called “free”.
Jim Crow laws were against everything our constitution stood for. America’s government of that time was making laws that could not even give blacks the chance to survive in the society. As we slowly progressed there was a large case that began the banning of these laws the Plessy vs. Ferguson  case where a black man named Plessy tried to sit in a all white train car and would not give up his seat,  Plessy loss this case but the whole trial was a mockery, due to his peacefulness and corporation. The judge made it clear that he found him in no wrong but has treated the law as so. It is very clear the Jim crow laws were not fair at all(Dukes) .

...... To Be Continued

Tapscott, TJ S. "Jim Crow Laws - Separate Is Not Equal." Jim Crow Laws - Separate Is Not Equal. Uthern California Library for Social Studies and Research, 4 Sept. 2001. Web. 11 Feb. 2014.

ROb      Roberts, Peter B. "Rise and Fall of Jim Crow." PBS. PBS, 4 Aug. 2001. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.

          Dukes, Jamall D. "PLESSY v. FERGUSON." Plessy v. Ferguson. Chicago-Kent College of Law, 27 Oct. 2007. Web. 12 Feb. 2014.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

 On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks a 42-year-old African American woman who worked as a seamstress boarded a Montgomery City bus to go home from work. Mrs. Parks sat in an all white seating section. She was asked why she did it and she simply explained she was tired. Mrs. Parks said she had a feeling that someone was “going to try her” as she stated in an interview. Mrs. Parks was asked to give up her seat by a bus driver and she firmly said no. As the driver asked three more times she peacefully said no she was tired and had a long day at work. The bus driver by law was forced to call the police (Bredhoff). To me Ms. Parks was arrested for an act of courage. To our country at the time she was arrested for breaking Jim Crow laws. I feel like the whole thought of this law was to belittle African Americans. To sit in the front or the back aren't we all still riding the same bus. Mrs. Parks arrest was pointless and inhumane to me.

Rosa's arrest sparked the activist of the African American Community. One in particular well famous Martin Luther King Jr. Many people don't know he was one of the very first people to meet with her after her arrest. Martin’s jail visit with Rosa was a historical moment. That day Mr.King revealed his Bus boycott plan. What many do not know Rosa wasn't to agreeing of the boycott because she didn't want the spotlight on her. Mr. King insists that this was the only way he knew how to respond back peacefully causing no problems (Bredhoff). I am sure Mrs. Parks had no intentions of becoming a civil rights leader. Her jail experience was very short only spending two nights in jail leaving by paying a ten dollar fine and four dollars in court fees (Bredhoff). Her having the support of not just Mr. King but the whole community I am sure made her more relaxed through out the whole experience. 

Martin began spreading the news of the boycott by getting with the WPC (women political council) involved first. They were well connected with spreading the word to others the women political council released a statement saying “Another woman has been arrested and thrown in jail because she refused to get up out of her seat on the bus for a white person to sit down. It is the second time since the Claudette Colvin case that a Negro woman has been arrested for the same thing. This has to be stopped"(Ford).  Many people don't know that Ms. Parks was not the first person to deny giving up her seat it was actually Claudette Colvin. I wanted to make it clear that this boycott did not just come from Ms. Parks courage. The boycott was long overdue from Ms. Colvin and her actions to.

Mr. King and the whole African American community began not to use any form of public transportation for almost the whole year of 1956 (Ford). I am sure getting to and from work was a challenge for  blacks but that also showed their determination for a change. Whites economically struggled due to blacks not riding the bus the income that public transportation were used to receiving took a major cut.  This is where I believe that whites realized just how much they need blacks to have a successful nation.

The Montgomery boycott has it's given pros and cons. The pros were the effects of the boycott stopped all buses from being segregated and for African Americans to be treated one hundred percent fairly when it came to public transportation.  The cons were two days later Mr. King had gun shots fired at his home after the desegregation on buses. There became wide spread of violence through out Montgomery, Alabama. I personally feel that boycott was a great idea though Mr.King only looked at positive outcomes and not the negative. Teenagers were jumped as soon as they got off the bus who protected them. The African American Community got what they wanted but were they prepared for the effects of there change is what I wonder. Were all of Martins decisions of the people or of him self nobody ever questions that Martin was a wealthy black man after the boycott not rich but wealthy. I think we could have done a better job of protecting our community with maybe a neighborhood watch, phone tree connect anything of that nature because what good is change if your going to be ridiculed for it?

Bredhoff, Stacey, Wynell Schamel, and Lee Ann Potter. "The Arrest Records of Rosa Parks." Social Education 63, 4 (May/June 1999): 207-211.

Ford, Henrey F. "The Story Behind the Bus." The Story Behind the Bus. Copyright © 2002 The Henry Ford, 2 July 2001. Web. 12 Apr. 2014.