Comparison Of Jackie Robinson And Wilma Rudolph

There has been many historical figures in American history that has helped shape the slowly changes in America. America struggled with racial segregation where African Americans were at the bottom of the social class. During the Civil Rights Movement there were many important figures that help lead to desegregation, and two of them were Jackie Robinson and Wilma Rudolph. On April 15, 1947 Jackie Robinson made baseball history and became part of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Wilma Rudolph also was an important figure to American history. She was the first American woman to win three gold medals in one single Olympic game in 1960. Although Jackie Robinson and Wilma Rudolph may seem different, they both share important similarities. One way Jackie Robinson and Wilma Rudolph …show more content…
For example, Jackie Robinson became a role model because not only did he break the color barrier, but also played with immense courage. Henry Aaron, one who looked up to Jackie Robinson, said, "Before Jackie Robinson broke the color line, I wasn’t permitted even to think about being a professional baseball player. I once mentioned to my father about it, and he said 'aint no color ball player'” (82). As soon as Jackie Robinson stepped out onto the field on April 15, 1947, being the first African American player on an MLB team is when many people just like Henry Aaron saw hope for one’s dream, and after that day putting on number forty-two is when he became role models to many. The second role model is Wilma Rudolph. Rudolph became a role model to many while making American history in the year 1960 in Rome where she became the first American women to win 3 gold medals in the events of: 100, 200, and 4x 100, in one single Olympic game. She also broke the gender barrier in many