Promises to Keep: How Jackie Robinson Changed America

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of racism and death.

On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first Black person to play in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Brooklyn Dodgers in the position of first base. As Jackie’s daughter, Sharon Robinson feels obligated to continue his legacy. She is MLB’s vice president of educational programming, so she visits schools in multiple countries, teaching children about the intersection of baseball and activism.

When Jackie retired from baseball, Sharon was six; she was 22 when he died. Much of her knowledge about his baseball career comes from friends, other players, and archival footage of his games. Aside from baseball, Sharon remembers Jackie teaching her to make pancakes and question powerful leaders.

Jackie won many awards and was a part of numerous iconic moments. During the 1955 World Series, he stole home. Sharon keeps a photograph of the play. However, Sharon’s parents taught her and her two brothers not to value themselves based on accolades and prizes. Her parents believed that what matters is how a person positively impacts other people. Jackie used his visibility to confront racism in the US and promote change.