Racism has …show more content…
Rickey saw that Jackie had a great mental fortitude and decided he could handle the hardships that would come with being the first black Major Leaguer. (Greg Guss) After his first game, his popularity grew immensely, as did the hate of the white crowd. While the white crowd yelled insults Jackie had to contain his anger because he knew he represented the whole black community. Every time he stepped on the field there would be cheers from the “black sections” of the stadium and vicious comments from the whites. While Jackie did suffer, his paved a way for many to …show more content…
"It's too bad that people are just beginning to realize now that he's one of the most important historical figures of the 20th century … You can put Jackie in the same context as Dr. [Martin Luther] King and all the great civil rights leaders," claims Aaron. "I think he dealt with it on a different level because he played sports. But I think Jackie meant a lot to every black athlete--not just baseball players. His success meant that players like myself and Willie [Mays] could perform in the spotlight." (Greg Guss). Jackie could be seen as a civil rights activist just as Dr. Martin Luther in the way that he stood up for what he thought to be right. He let let the world know by playing his heart out and didn't let racism get in his path to win games. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a wish that his children would "one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." in the same way, Jackie wanted blacks to be judged by their skill, rather than their