To those who follow athletics, it may sound prehistoric but the name Jackie Robinson must ring a bell. 1997 marked the 50 year anniversary of Jackie Robinson's rookie season for the Brooklyn Dodgers. When he stepped on Ebbets Field on April 15th, 1947, Robinson became the first African American to play baseball In the Major Leagues. Breaking the color line, a segregation practice in the 19th century he became a leader for African Americans in sports as well as breaking the ice for black athletes.
Even after Jackie Robinson's 19th century heroic tribute African American athletes were few from none. At this time many professional sports lacked blacks and were filled with whites. From baseball, basketball to football; all very Americanized sports, there were few African Americans which is unfortunate because blacks at the time very heavily populated America. To further that notion there were limited minorities in sports such as golf, tennis and soccer which are for the majority foreign sports.
Pie chart of religions of African Americans
A man lynched from a tree. Face partially conceale...
African American Read-In 2013How is it possible for a majority foreign sport to have limited minorities? This was the 19th century now in the 21st century things have completely done a 360. The amount of African American athletes has risen about 64 percent since the 19th century. Why did the large increase in African Americans in professional sports happen so drastically? Possible answers to these questions would definitely have to include the fore fathers who have made it possible, the increase in scholarships and the accessibility of sports to young African American children.
One significant cause in the rise in African American athletes is the fore fathers who made it possible. People such as Jackie Robinson; who I touched on earlier, Tiger Woods, Wilt Chamberlin, Althea Gibson, Muhammad Ali and Michael Jordan were prerequisites for black athletes. Just...