It requires incredible foresight to remain faithful to an idea. To ignore what your eyes and ears tell you and imagine better. One individual – Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson imagined better and ended eighty years of baseball segregation. He crossed the color line and made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 as the first African American in major league baseball.
Despite unmitigated racial discrimination from baseball's management, teammates and fans, Robinson possessed the courage to defy retaliation and was the consummate athletic professional. As a disciplined hitter, a versatile fielder and an outstanding defensive player Robinson won Rookie of the Year in 1947 and Most Valuable Player in 1949 for the National League. He was the first African American inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame and became a member of the All-Century Team. He received a championship ring when he led the Dodgers to a 1955 World Series victory over the New York Yankees.
Robinson's historic achievements in baseball were but one aspect of his life and legacy. Quoted as saying, "I'm not concerned with your liking or disliking me - all I ask is that you respect me as a human being" he was a champion of civil and human rights. He was a staunch supporter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Anti Defamation League of B'nai Brith. He also founded the Jackie Robinson Construction Corporation to improve living conditions of Black Americans in metropolitan areas. One of only two players in baseball Jackie received the Congressional Gold Medal and President Ronald Regan awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
We learned this past year that colleges and universities across the country are just as excited about these materials as high schools and elementary schools are. Some are playing our spots on the jumbo-trons at sporting events while others are using our billboards as screensavers on all the computers campus-wide. In response to this interest, we have put together a "how-to" sheet. If you are interested please feel free to contact Brooke Nord at brooke@forbetterlife.org.
Did you know we offer free posters and DVDs to schools, colleges and universities, non-profits, hospitals, churches, and corporations? The TV spots act as great values-based discussion starters for students, employee training sessions, and small groups; the posters are an easy way to create a positive atmosphere in any work place or classroom. Visit www.forbetterlife.org/resource_center/educator.asp to request your materials today! If you would like to preview the TV spots and posters, please visit: www.forbetterlife.org/be-inspired/tv or www.forbetterlife.org/be-inspired/billboards.
We’ve created an easy way to add The Foundation for a Better Life Quote-of-the-Day to your MySpace, Facebook, blog, or other webpage. Now you can pass our inspirational quotes on to everyone who visits your webpage!
Wouldn't it be nice to wake up every day to an inspirational message? You can with our Quote-of-the-Day email! Every weekday we send out a new thought-provoking quote based on our value theme for the week. Every week a new value, every day a new quote. To sign-up visit our inbox inspiration center here and don't forget to Pass it On!
Visit our sister foundation, The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, with ideas on how to promote Random Acts of Kindness in your school, community, or personal life.
the FBL Good Newsletter
