Lasting Legacy of Jackie Robinson: A Look at the Influence on History

How the contributions of Jackie Robinson continue to shape the world today.

Jackie Robinson was a pivotal figure in American history as the first African American to play Major League Baseball in the modern era. On April 15, 1947, he broke the color barrier by starting at first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers, ending racial segregation in professional baseball that had persisted since the 1880s. His courageous act paved the way for other Black athletes and marked a significant moment in the Civil Rights Movement.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Legacy & Impact

1947: Major League Rookie of the Year Award

In 1947, Jackie Robinson wins the Major League Rookie of the Year Award, encompassing both leagues. This award was later renamed to the "Jackie Robinson Award" in 1987.

1948: Truman desegregates the military

After World War II, President Harry Truman desegregated the military in 1948.

1949: Separate Rookie of the Year Awards

In 1949, Major League Baseball began awarding separate Rookie of the Year honors for the National and American Leagues.

October 3, 1951: Dodgers lose pennant to Giants

On October 3, 1951, the Dodgers lost the pennant to the New York Giants on Bobby Thomson's famous home run. Jackie Robinson observed Thomson's feet to ensure he touched all the bases, demonstrating his competitive spirit. He finished the 1951 season with 106 runs scored, a .335 batting average, and 25 stolen bases.

December 1956: NAACP Spingarn Medal

In December 1956, Jackie Robinson was recognized by the NAACP with the Spingarn Medal, awarded annually for the highest achievement by an African-American.

July 1959: Red Sox Integrate Roster

More than 14 years after Jackie Robinson's humiliating tryout with the Boston Red Sox, in July 1959, the Red Sox became the final major league team to integrate its roster.

October 1959: Robinson Protests Segregation at Greenville Airport

In October 1959, Jackie Robinson protested segregation by entering the whites-only waiting room at Greenville Municipal Airport, refusing to leave when asked. He then gave a speech in Greenville, South Carolina, urging black citizens to vote and protest their second-class citizenship.

1962: Induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame

In 1962, Jackie Robinson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, solidifying his place among baseball's legends.

1962: Elected to Baseball Hall of Fame

In 1962, during his first year of eligibility, Jackie Robinson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, becoming the first Black American player inducted into the Cooperstown museum. He encouraged voters to consider only his on-field qualifications.

1965: Analyst for ABC's Major League Baseball Game of the Week

In 1965, Jackie Robinson became the first Black American to serve as an analyst for ABC's Major League Baseball Game of the Week telecasts.

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June 4, 1972: Dodgers Retired Robinson's Jersey Number

On June 4, 1972, the Dodgers retired Jackie Robinson's uniform number, 42, alongside those of Roy Campanella (39) and Sandy Koufax (32).

October 15, 1972: Final Public Appearance at World Series

On October 15, 1972, nine days before his death, Jackie Robinson made his final public appearance at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, throwing the ceremonial first pitch before Game 2 of the World Series. He accepted a plaque honoring the twenty-fifth anniversary of his MLB debut, advocating for black managers in baseball.

October 24, 1972: Death of Jackie Robinson

On October 24, 1972, Jackie Robinson died. His legacy continued through posthumous awards and the retirement of his jersey number across all MLB teams.

October 27, 1972: Jackie Robinson's Funeral

On October 27, 1972, Jackie Robinson's funeral service was held at Riverside Church in Upper Manhattan, attracting 2,500 mourners, with Jesse Jackson giving the eulogy. He was subsequently buried at Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn.

1972: Posthumous Awards

After his death in 1972, Jackie Robinson was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal and Presidential Medal of Freedom for his achievements on and off the baseball field.

1974: Frank Robinson as First Black Manager

Following the 1974 season, after Jackie Robinson's death, the Cleveland Indians gave their managerial post to Frank Robinson, marking the fulfillment of Jackie's wish to see a Black face managing in baseball.

1976: Jackie Robinson House Declared a National Historic Landmark

In 1976, Jackie Robinson's home in Brooklyn, the Jackie Robinson House, was declared a National Historic Landmark.

1978: Colonial Park Renamed After Robinson

In 1978, Colonial Park in Harlem was renamed after Jackie Robinson.

1982: United States Postal Service Honors Jackie Robinson

In 1982, Jackie Robinson was honored by the United States Postal Service on a postage stamp.

March 26, 1984: Presidential Medal of Freedom

On March 26, 1984, President Ronald Reagan posthumously awarded Jackie Robinson the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

1984: Inducted into UCLA's Athletics Hall of Fame

In 1984, Jackie Robinson was among the 25 charter members of UCLA's Athletics Hall of Fame.

1987: Rookie of the Year Awards Renamed

In 1987, both the National and American League Rookie of the Year Awards were renamed the "Jackie Robinson Award" in honor of Jackie Robinson.

1990: Jackie Robinson Ballpark Renamed

In 1990, City Island Ballpark in Daytona Beach, Florida was renamed Jackie Robinson Ballpark, and a statue of Robinson with two children was erected in front of the park.

1990: Closure of Freedom National Bank

In 1990, Jackie Robinson's wife, Rachel Robinson, served on the board of the Freedom National Bank until it closed.

1993: Inducted into National High School Hall of Fame

In 1993, Jackie Robinson was inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame.

April 15, 1997: Jersey Number 42 Retired Throughout MLB

On April 15, 1997, Jackie Robinson's jersey number, 42, was retired throughout Major League Baseball, the first time any jersey number had been retired throughout one of the four major American sports leagues.

1997: Jersey Number Retired

In 1997, MLB retired Jackie Robinson's uniform number, 42, across all Major League teams, an unprecedented honor for a professional athlete in any sport.

1997: Interboro Parkway Renamed

In 1997, New York City renamed the Interboro Parkway in Jackie Robinson's honor.

1997: Pasadena Robinson Memorial Erected

In 1997, a $325,000 bronze sculpture called the Pasadena Robinson Memorial by artists Ralph Helmick, Stu Schecter, and John Outterbridge depicting oversized nine-foot busts of Robinson and his brother Mack was erected at Garfield Avenue in Pasadena.

1997: Jackie Robinson Commemorative Coin Issued

In 1997, the United States Mint issued a Jackie Robinson commemorative silver dollar and a five-dollar gold coin.

1999: United States Postal Service Honors Jackie Robinson Again

In 1999, Jackie Robinson was honored by the United States Postal Service on a postage stamp.

1999: Named One of Time's 100 Most Influential People

In 1999, Jackie Robinson was named by Time on its list of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century. That same year, he was elected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team, and ranked No. 44 on The Sporting News list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players".

1999: Named to the MLB All-Century Team

In 1999, Jackie Robinson was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.

2000: United States Postal Service Honors Jackie Robinson Once More

In 2000, Jackie Robinson was honored by the United States Postal Service on a postage stamp.

2000: Wayne Gretzky's Number Retired League-Wide

In 2000, after Jackie Robinson's number 42 was retired in 1997, Wayne Gretzky's number 99 was retired league-wide by the NHL.

2002: Included on List of 100 Greatest African Americans

In 2002, Molefi Kete Asante included Jackie Robinson on his list of 100 Greatest African Americans.

April 15, 2004: "Jackie Robinson Day" Inauguration

On April 15, 2004, MLB adopted a new annual tradition, "Jackie Robinson Day", where every player on every team wears the number 42.

2004: Inaugural Jackie Robinson Day

In 2004, MLB began honoring Jackie Robinson by allowing players to wear number 42 on April 15, Jackie Robinson Day, which is an annual observance that started.

2004: Aflac National High School Baseball Player of the Year Award

Since 2004, the "Jackie Robinson Award" has been presented to the Aflac National High School Baseball Player of the Year.

March 2, 2005: Congressional Gold Medal

On March 2, 2005, President George W. Bush gave Jackie Robinson's widow the Congressional Gold Medal; Robinson was only the second baseball player to receive the award, after Roberto Clemente.

November 1, 2005: Unveiling of Reese and Robinson Statue

On November 1, 2005, a statue depicting Pee Wee Reese with his arm around Jackie Robinson was unveiled at KeySpan Park.

November 2006: Announcement of Jackie Robinson Rotunda

In November 2006, at the groundbreaking for Citi Field, it was announced that the main entrance would be called the Jackie Robinson Rotunda.

August 20, 2007: Induction into the California Hall of Fame

On August 20, 2007, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife, Maria Shriver, announced that Jackie Robinson was inducted into the California Hall of Fame, located at The California Museum for History, Women and the Arts in Sacramento.

2007: Players Wear Number 42 on Jackie Robinson Day

In 2007, for the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's major league debut, MLB invited players to wear the number 42 on Jackie Robinson Day. Over 200 players participated, including entire rosters of multiple teams.

April 15, 2008: Jackie Robinson Museum Announcement

On April 15, 2008, Rachel Robinson announced that the Jackie Robinson Foundation would open a museum devoted to Jackie in Lower Manhattan in 2010.

June 25, 2008: New Plaque for Robinson at Baseball Hall of Fame

On June 25, 2008, MLB installed a new plaque for Jackie Robinson at the Baseball Hall of Fame commemorating his off-the-field impact.

April 16, 2009: Dedication of Jackie Robinson Rotunda

On April 16, 2009, the Jackie Robinson Rotunda was dedicated at the opening of Citi Field, the new ballpark for the New York Mets.

2009: All Uniformed Personnel Wear Number 42 on Jackie Robinson Day

In 2009, all of MLB's uniformed personnel (including players) wore number 42 on April 15, a tradition that has continued every year since.

2010: Jackie Robinson Museum Slated to Open

In 2010, the Jackie Robinson Foundation was scheduled to open a museum devoted to Jackie in Lower Manhattan, as announced by Rachel Robinson.

2011: Plaque placed at Robinson's Montreal home

In 2011, the U.S. placed a plaque at Jackie Robinson's Montreal home to honor the ending of segregation in baseball.

April 14, 2013: New Mural Unveiled at Jackie Robinson Stadium

On April 14, 2013, a new mural of Jackie Robinson by Mike Sullivan was unveiled at Jackie Robinson Stadium.

2013: Mariano Rivera Last to Regularly Wear Number 42

In 2013, Mariano Rivera of the Yankees retired at the end of the season and was the last player in Major League Baseball to wear jersey number 42 on a regular basis.

November 22, 2014: UCLA Retires Number 42 Across All Sports

On November 22, 2014, UCLA announced that it would officially retire the number 42 across all university sports, effective immediately, because it had become indelibly identified with him.

2016: Jackie Robinson PBS Documentary

In 2016, a PBS documentary titled "Jackie Robinson" was released, directed by Ken Burns, with Jamie Foxx as the voice of Robinson.

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November 19, 2017: Jersey Sold at Auction

On November 19, 2017, a jersey that Jackie Robinson brought home with him after his rookie season ended in 1947 was sold at auction for $2.05 million.

2017: Statue Unveiled at Dodger Stadium

In 2017, a statue of Jackie Robinson, created by sculptor Branly Cadet, was unveiled at Dodger Stadium. It was the first statue the Dodgers ever unveiled.

2020: Ranked on The Athletic's "Baseball 100" List

In 2020, The Athletic ranked Jackie Robinson at number 42 on its "Baseball 100" list, compiled by sportswriter Joe Posnanski.

2021: Statue Installed in Wichita, Kansas

In 2021, a bronze statue of Jackie Robinson, created by John Parsons, was installed in Wichita, Kansas by League 42, a youth baseball league, in McAdams Park.

2022: Robinson's Record

As of 2022, Jackie Robinson's record of 12.2 yards per attempt on 42 carries remains the school football record for the highest rushing yards per carry in a season