America was not always equal. Through many hardships and changes, certain individuals went above and beyond to form today’s society into a more equate one. Jackie Robinson, one of many individuals, played a significant role in numerous changes that occurred in the mid 1900s. Robinson is mainly responsible for collapsing the color-barrier to sports. His admission into the Major Leagues had a notable impact on the United States; more specifically the anti-prejudice struggle (Gimbel). He also influenced integration in other aspects of society by his acts; we can see today, how these influences and changes Robinson made impacted our society.
Jackie Robinson was born when segregation was very prominent on January 31, 1919 (The Jackie Robinson Foundation). …show more content…
As explained later in this paragraph many decisions were made while he was in the MLB as well as when he retired from baseball. After Robinson retired from the MLB he would not sit down quietly; he knew he had the opportunity to speak up for what he believed and what he wanted to make happen. Robinson began speaking for blacks in hopes of gaining some momentum to help push the civil rights movement along. He traveled various places promoting his beliefs and met with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on many different occasions to speak about the civil rights issues (Robinson, Long, and Project). Through all the public gatherings and protests by Robinson and others, desegregation of schools and the armed forces would progress in the coming years. In 1948, president Harry S. Truman issued Executive Order 9981 eliminating segregation in the U.S. military. Explaining that one could not be denied entry into the military based on “race, color, religion or national origin” (Ray). According to Susan Altman, once Truman ended segregation in the armed forces, more African-Americans enlisted and continued their enlistments. Also, the military implemented guidelines “to desegregate schools on military bases, challenge discrimination in off-base housing, and oppose segregated facilities used by military personnel” (Altman). Around the same time the military was fully integrated in 1954, the decision in the …show more content…
Public schools have become more focused on education than on the facts of withholding students based on race or any discriminating features. According to a study done in 2004, it was found that school desegregation ultimately transformed the individuals “who lived through it” (“How Desegregation Changed Us: The Effects of Racially Mixed Schools on Students and Society”). In addition, it made a wide range of students attending these schools more accommodating to people of different cultures and less discriminatory. Many students of different ethnic backgrounds and races highly appreciated the day-to-day cross between each race in their high schools. Most considered the experience worthwhile, and some say it was the only opportunity to be in contact with someone of a different race and interact with them (“How Desegregation Changed Us: The Effects of Racially Mixed Schools on Students and Society”). With our military being integrated, it is stronger and more reliable. Giving more opportunity and bringing a wider selection of individuals with different talents, allows our military to continue to grow in size and strength (Miles). When Robinson broke the color barrier in the MLB, it opened up new opportunities for everyone. Doing so allowed different races to play in sports together, and today giving us something to watch on television for entertainment. Also, it reminds us how far we
Jackie Robinson was born when segregation was very prominent on January 31, 1919 (The Jackie Robinson Foundation). …show more content…
As explained later in this paragraph many decisions were made while he was in the MLB as well as when he retired from baseball. After Robinson retired from the MLB he would not sit down quietly; he knew he had the opportunity to speak up for what he believed and what he wanted to make happen. Robinson began speaking for blacks in hopes of gaining some momentum to help push the civil rights movement along. He traveled various places promoting his beliefs and met with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on many different occasions to speak about the civil rights issues (Robinson, Long, and Project). Through all the public gatherings and protests by Robinson and others, desegregation of schools and the armed forces would progress in the coming years. In 1948, president Harry S. Truman issued Executive Order 9981 eliminating segregation in the U.S. military. Explaining that one could not be denied entry into the military based on “race, color, religion or national origin” (Ray). According to Susan Altman, once Truman ended segregation in the armed forces, more African-Americans enlisted and continued their enlistments. Also, the military implemented guidelines “to desegregate schools on military bases, challenge discrimination in off-base housing, and oppose segregated facilities used by military personnel” (Altman). Around the same time the military was fully integrated in 1954, the decision in the …show more content…
Public schools have become more focused on education than on the facts of withholding students based on race or any discriminating features. According to a study done in 2004, it was found that school desegregation ultimately transformed the individuals “who lived through it” (“How Desegregation Changed Us: The Effects of Racially Mixed Schools on Students and Society”). In addition, it made a wide range of students attending these schools more accommodating to people of different cultures and less discriminatory. Many students of different ethnic backgrounds and races highly appreciated the day-to-day cross between each race in their high schools. Most considered the experience worthwhile, and some say it was the only opportunity to be in contact with someone of a different race and interact with them (“How Desegregation Changed Us: The Effects of Racially Mixed Schools on Students and Society”). With our military being integrated, it is stronger and more reliable. Giving more opportunity and bringing a wider selection of individuals with different talents, allows our military to continue to grow in size and strength (Miles). When Robinson broke the color barrier in the MLB, it opened up new opportunities for everyone. Doing so allowed different races to play in sports together, and today giving us something to watch on television for entertainment. Also, it reminds us how far we