Photos of Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play in the major leagues. On April 15, 1947, Robinson played his first game with the Dodgers. For the first few years he did not respond to the racial insults, but he began speaking out against racism in 1949. He attacked the Jim Crow laws in the South and spoke out in support of the desegregation of Southern hotels and ballparks. Robinson retired in 1957. In 1962, he became the first black player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.