Why does breaking this barrier matter?

(Staff)

    Jackie used his fame from breaking the color barrier and was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement (Long). He became a board member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and he traveled the country helping other African-Americans (Long). He used his fame to fight for racial justice in communities throughout the country (Long). Jackie said,“A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives'’ (The Official). He also said:”There’s not an American in this country free until every one of us is free '' (The Official). Jackie was described by his contemporaries as fearless, courageous, dynamic, defiant, and proud (Swaine). Jackie never wanted these titles and he said,”Maybe I'm doing something for my race” (Swaine). He requested no mention of breaking the color barrier next to his name on his Hall of Fame plaque (Jackie Robinson).  Jackie Robinson “was the first domino” to fall that made it possible for all colors of athletes to play in the MLB (Castrovince). Ken Burns, a documentarian, said,”The person who made it possible for baseball to become, in fact, what it had always claimed to be -- the national pastime" (Castrovince). Farhan Zaidi, the first Musilim General Manager said,”I don't think baseball belongs to anyone or any one group of people '' (Castrovince). Jackie was the first to help people get that idea (Castrovince).