A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.
—Jackie Robinson (January 31, 1919–October 24, 1972), from the epitaph engraved on his tombstone in Brooklyn, New York
The Hall of Fame baseball player is credited with being the first African American to play in the Major Leagues, debuting with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He not only excelled athletically and professionally in a segregated society but became a vocal advocate for civil rights reform in the United States.
~Susan Leem, associate producer
Photo of Jackie Robinson courtesy of the Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection (cc by-nc-nd 2.0)
