@BowtiePrincipal . The removal of Jackie Robinson’s story from the Department of Defense’s (DOD) website is an egregious act of historical erasure — one that dishonors not only Robinson’s groundbreaking achievements in Major League Baseball (MLB) but also his courageous stand against racial segregation as a civil rights pioneer. Robinson’s status as the first Black player to break MLB’s color barrier in 1947 was not just a baseball milestone but a civil rights victory. His achievement transcends sports and speaks to the broader struggle for racial justice and equality in the United States. Yet, the attempt to erase his legacy as a barrier breaker in the fight to end racial segregation reflects a dangerous effort to control the narrative around race and civil rights in America.
Jackie Robinson’s bravery on the field — enduring racist taunts and death threats with grace and determination — became a symbol of resistance and the demand for equality. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. acknowledged Robinson’s influence, stating that Robinson’s defiance of baseball’s “whites-only” policy paved the way for the broader civil rights movement. However, Robinson’s legacy extends far beyond the baseball diamond. His act of defiance when he refused to move to the back of a segregated military bus in 1944 while serving as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army reflects the same spirit of resistance that would later be seen in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Robinson’s courage in challenging segregation in the military was an early and critical moment in the civil rights movement — one that the DOD’s attempt to erase undermines.
The Department of Defense’s decision to remove this story reflects a disturbing trend of selectively editing history to make it more palatable or politically convenient. It suggests that Robinson’s contributions to racial justice can only be celebrated when confined to the context of sports — not when they challenge America’s legacy of racial segregation and injustice. However, both aspects of Robinson’s legacy are equally important. Robinson’s stand on the military bus was an act of civil disobedience that predated and likely influenced future acts of resistance during the civil rights era. By removing this story, the DOD attempts to sanitize Robinson’s legacy, reducing him to a symbol of athletic achievement while erasing his contributions to the fight for racial equality.
Celebrating Robinson’s achievements solely in the context of baseball denies the fullness of his impact on American society. His courage on and off the field embodies the true spirit of American values — justice, equality, and the pursuit of a more perfect union. In Jackie’s Nine: Jackie Robinson’s Values to Live By, his daughter, Sharon Robinson, highlights the values her father lived by — courage, determination, teamwork, persistence, integrity, citizenship, justice, commitment, and excellence.
Robinson believed these values were personal strengths and essential tools for building a better society. As Robinson himself stated, “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” He also declared, “The right of every American to first-class citizenship is the most important issue of our time.”
This statement rings true at this pivotal moment in history. Robinson’s legacy is not just about breaking baseball’s color barrier — it’s about challenging racial injustice at every level of American society. Therefore, as we celebrate Robinson, we pay tribute to his impact on sports and reaffirm that our history cannot be erased, distorted, or minimized for political convenience. To attempt to do so is not only dishonest — it is fundamentally anti-American.
Dr. Rashid Faisal is an Associate Professor and the Department Chair of the College of Urban Education at Davenport University. His expertise includes urban education, culturally responsive teaching, inclusive pedagogy, school leadership and principal training, ecological school systems, and the history of pre-Brown African American education.
Jackie Robinson’s bravery on the field — enduring racist taunts and death threats with grace and determination — became a symbol of resistance and the demand for equality. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. acknowledged Robinson’s influence, stating that Robinson’s defiance of baseball’s “whites-only” policy paved the way for the broader civil rights movement. However, Robinson’s legacy extends far beyond the baseball diamond. His act of defiance when he refused to move to the back of a segregated military bus in 1944 while serving as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army reflects the same spirit of resistance that would later be seen in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Robinson’s courage in challenging segregation in the military was an early and critical moment in the civil rights movement — one that the DOD’s attempt to erase undermines.
The Department of Defense’s decision to remove this story reflects a disturbing trend of selectively editing history to make it more palatable or politically convenient. It suggests that Robinson’s contributions to racial justice can only be celebrated when confined to the context of sports — not when they challenge America’s legacy of racial segregation and injustice. However, both aspects of Robinson’s legacy are equally important. Robinson’s stand on the military bus was an act of civil disobedience that predated and likely influenced future acts of resistance during the civil rights era. By removing this story, the DOD attempts to sanitize Robinson’s legacy, reducing him to a symbol of athletic achievement while erasing his contributions to the fight for racial equality.
Celebrating Robinson’s achievements solely in the context of baseball denies the fullness of his impact on American society. His courage on and off the field embodies the true spirit of American values — justice, equality, and the pursuit of a more perfect union. In Jackie’s Nine: Jackie Robinson’s Values to Live By, his daughter, Sharon Robinson, highlights the values her father lived by — courage, determination, teamwork, persistence, integrity, citizenship, justice, commitment, and excellence.
Robinson believed these values were personal strengths and essential tools for building a better society. As Robinson himself stated, “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” He also declared, “The right of every American to first-class citizenship is the most important issue of our time.”
This statement rings true at this pivotal moment in history. Robinson’s legacy is not just about breaking baseball’s color barrier — it’s about challenging racial injustice at every level of American society. Therefore, as we celebrate Robinson, we pay tribute to his impact on sports and reaffirm that our history cannot be erased, distorted, or minimized for political convenience. To attempt to do so is not only dishonest — it is fundamentally anti-American.
Dr. Rashid Faisal is an Associate Professor and the Department Chair of the College of Urban Education at Davenport University. His expertise includes urban education, culturally responsive teaching, inclusive pedagogy, school leadership and principal training, ecological school systems, and the history of pre-Brown African American education.