Jackie Robinson (2016–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - Jackie Robinson: Part Two - full transcript

Jackie Robinson's life story from his sophomore season in the Major Leagues through his death. Robinson's Brooklyn Dodgers years, business career, as well as his role as a civil rights leader and family life are detailed.

MAN AS JACKIE ROBINSON:
I AM PROUD OF MY BLACKNESS,

PROUD OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
OF BLACK PEOPLE.

THINK OF ME
AS THE KIND OF NEGRO

WHO COMES TO THE CONCLUSION

THAT HE ISN'T GOING
TO BEG FOR ANYTHING,

THAT HE WILL BE REASONABLE

BUT HE DAMNED WELL
IS TIRED OF BEING PATIENT.

JACKIE ROBINSON.

HOWARD BRYANT:
MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE,

WHAT AFRICAN AMERICANS
HAVE WANTED FROM AMERICA IS

A SEAT AT THE TABLE.



JACKIE ROBINSON KNEW
ONCE HE GOT IN THE DOOR,

HE COULD KNOCK DOWN
ALL OF THESE CONVENTIONS.

FIRST, YOU GET OUT THERE
AND YOU PROVE YOU CAN PLAY.

THEN YOU CAN START
TALKING BACK TO UMPS.

THEN YOU START DEALING
WITH WRITERS ON YOUR TERMS

INSTEAD OF THEIR TERMS.

THEN YOU START FIGHTING TO MAKE
SURE THE HOTELS ARE INTEGRATED.

AND OVER TIME,

JACKIE ROBINSON
HAS PUSHED US FORWARD.

FOR HIM, THERE WAS
NO SATISFACTION

WITH SIMPLY BEING ALLOWED
TO ENTER THE ROOM.

BARACK OBAMA: PART OF WHAT I
ADMIRE ABOUT JACKIE ROBINSON IS

PRECISELY HIS ABILITY
TO APPROACH BASEBALL

AND THOSE FIRST TWO YEARS
OF INTEGRATION



IN WAYS THAT WERE CONTRARY
TO HIS CHARACTER

OR HIS FUNDAMENTAL SENSE
OF WHAT WAS RIGHT AND WRONG

IN SERVICE OF A LARGER CAUSE.

BUT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT
MADE SENSE FOR HIM TO SUSTAIN.

HE HAD PURCHASED THE RIGHT TO
SPEAK HIS MIND MANY TIMES OVER.

NARRATOR: ON APRIL 15, 1947,
JACK ROOSEVELT ROBINSON BECAME

THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN
IN THE MODERN AGE

TO PLAY MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.

[CHEERING]

IN HIS FIRST SEASON
WITH THE BROOKLYN DODGERS,

HE HAD SILENTLY ENDURED
RACIST TAUNTS,

THREATS, AND ABUSE,

PERFORMING SPECTACULARLY
ON THE FIELD

AND BECOMING ONE OF THE MOST
CELEBRATED MEN IN THE COUNTRY.

LATER, UNBURDENED OF HIS PROMISE
TO BRANCH RICKEY TO KEEP QUIET,

TO TURN THE OTHER CHEEK,

AMERICANS WOULD BEGIN TO SEE
THE REAL JACKIE ROBINSON,

AND THEY WOULD NOT
ALWAYS LIKE HIM.

RACHEL ROBINSON: EARLY ON,
THEY LIKED JACK,

BECAUSE HE WAS BEING A GOOD BOY

AND HE WAS DOING
WHAT THEY THOUGHT HE SHOULD DO

AND HE WAS KEEPING
HIS MOUTH SHUT.

AND THE MINUTE HE DECIDED
TO DEFEND HIMSELF,

THEY WOULD CALL HIM UPPITY;

THEY WOULD CALL HIM
A LOUD MOUTH TO DISCREDIT HIM.

NARRATOR: AFTER BASEBALL,
HE WOULD SPEAK OUT TIRELESSLY,

USING HIS IMMENSE
FAME TO PROMOTE EQUALITY

AND CREATE BETTER OPPORTUNITIES

FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS
EVERYWHERE.

BUT IN AN AGE OF PROFOUND
SOCIAL UPHEAVAL

AS HIS INFLUENCE DIMINISHED
AND HIS HEALTH DECLINED,

HE WOULD SOMETIMES
STRUGGLE TO FIND HIS PLACE

IN THE RAPIDLY CHANGING
CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

HE HAD ONCE SYMBOLIZED.

AND HIS HOME, ONCE A HAVEN
FROM THE FIGHT OUTSIDE,

WOULD SEE UNIMAGINABLE SORROW.

RACHEL ROBINSON:
JACK NEVER TALKED ABOUT CARRYING

THE ASPIRATIONS OF OUR RACE
AS A BURDEN.

HE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT IT AS--
AS KIND OF OPPORTUNITY.

AND HE WAS PROUD, VERY PROUD,
WHEN HE SUCCEEDED IN SOME WAY

AND DEVASTATED WHEN HE DIDN'T.

BUT HE KNEW THAT WE HAD TO
HAVE RACIAL EQUALITY IN AMERICA.

AND IF WE DIDN'T,
IF HE DIDN'T DO HIS PART

AND DIDN'T ENCOURAGE OTHERS
TO DO THEIR PART,

NO CHANGE
WOULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE.

ALTON WALDON: IT WAS AFTER
SCHOOL, WE GO INTO THE STORE,

AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIND, UH,
WHAT LITTLE CANDIES WE GONNA BUY

WITH THESE FEW PENNIES WE HAD
IN OUR POCKET.

AND IN WALKED OUR HERO,
JACKIE ROBINSON.

WE WERE STARTLED.

AND HE PAID FOR HIS NEWSPAPERS,

AND HE TURNED TO WALK OUT,
AND HE TURNED BACK AND SAID,

"WOULD YOU GUYS LIKE
SOME ICE CREAM?"

EVERYBODY SAID,
"YES, MR. ROBINSON."

HE SAID, "NO, NO, NO. CALL
ME JACKIE. CALL ME JACKIE."

I WAS SO EXCITED--MY KNEES
WERE KNOCKING--

TO SEE A REAL HERO
WHO LOOKED LIKE US.

WE SHUFFLED OUR FEET.
WE DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING.

WE DIDN'T HAVE
THE COURAGE TO SAY ANYTHING.

BUT HE SPOKE, YOU KNOW, GAVE US
KIND OF A PEP TALK.

NOW WE SAW HIM AS
SOMEONE WE COULD ALMOST TOUCH.

AND HE BECAME
EVEN MORE INTENSELY OUR HERO.

[VEHICLE HORN HONKS]

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS]

NARRATOR: IN MARCH OF 1948,

JACKIE ROBINSON
REPORTED TO SPRING TRAINING

25 POUNDS OVERWEIGHT.

HE ADMITTED HE WAS
TOO HEAVY BUT SHRUGGED IT OFF.

"WAIT UNTIL OPENING DAY,"
HE PROMISED.

[CHEERING]

BUT WHEN THE SEASON BEGAN,

ROBINSON WAS SLUGGISH
ON THE BASE PATHS

AND BY MID-JUNE
STILL HADN'T STOLEN A BASE.

ALTHOUGH HE KEPT HIS BATTING
AVERAGE NEAR .300 ALL SUMMER,

THE DODGERS FINISHED 1948
7 1/2 GAMES OUT.

ROBINSON'S NUMBERS WERE NEARLY
AS GOOD AS THE YEAR BEFORE,

BUT HE KNEW
HE COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER.

THAT SEASON,
JACKIE ROBINSON WROTE AN ARTICLE

FOR "EBONY" MAGAZINE CONDEMNING
NEGRO LEAGUE BASEBALL.

THE CLUBS, HE CLAIMED, WERE
UNPROFESSIONAL AND DISORGANIZED,

AND SOME OF THE PLAYERS LACKED
"CHARACTER AND MORALS."

EFFA MANLEY, THE OWNER OF THE
NEGRO LEAGUE'S NEWARK EAGLES,

BLASTED ROBINSON
FOR TURNING ON THE LEAGUE

THAT HELPED GET HIM
TO THE MAJORS.

"I CHARGE JACKIE ROBINSON WITH
BEING UNGRATEFUL," SHE SAID,

"AND MORE LIKELY STUPID."

GERALD EARLY: JACKIE ROBINSON
WAS AN INTEGRATIONIST.

SYMBOLICALLY,
EVERYTHING HE STOOD FOR WAS

ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE BEING ABLE
TO HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO CAREERS

AND EVERYTHING ELSE
THAT WHITE PEOPLE HAD.

BUT THERE WERE LOTS OF BLACK
PEOPLE WHO WERE UPSET WITH THAT

BECAUSE THEY FELT
IT SHOULDN'T BE THAT INTEGRATION

SHOULD COME AT THE EXPENSE OF
BLACK PEOPLE'S OWN INSTITUTIONS.

ONCE INTEGRATION HAPPENED,

THE NEGRO LEAGUES
WERE NO LONGER VIABLE.

AND THEY CRUMBLED.

[CHEERING]

[BAND PLAYING
"THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER"]

NARRATOR:
AS THE 1949 SEASON BEGAN,

BRANCH RICKEY TOLD ROBINSON

HE COULD NOW PLAY
WITHOUT RESTRAINT.

ROBINSON DIDN'T NEED
ANY ENCOURAGEMENT.

WHEN A REPORTER ASKED HIM WHAT
OPPONENTS COULD EXPECT FROM HIM,

ROBINSON REPLIED,
"THEY BETTER BE ROUGH ON ME,

BECAUSE I'M GOING
TO BE ROUGH ON THEM."

RACHEL ROBINSON: JACK SAID,
"WE'VE GOT THIS THING GOING.

"THE TEAM IS WINNING.
I'M DOING WELL.

I'M GONNA SPEAK OUT."

AND SO HE BEGAN
TO CHALLENGE OTHER BALLPLAYERS

AND CHALLENGE UMPIRES WHEN HE
THOUGHT THEY HAD MADE A MISTAKE.

MAN AS JACKIE: SPORTSWRITERS
SEEMED TO COME DIRECTLY TO ME

WHENEVER THERE WAS
A HINT OF A STORY.

THEY KNEW I WOULD SAY
WHAT I THOUGHT.

THEY KNEW I WOULDN'T BACK DOWN
IF I GOT INTO TROUBLE--

THAT I WOULDN'T WHINE THAT
I WAS MISQUOTED.

IT FELT GOOD TO BREATHE FREELY,
TO SPEAK OUT WHEN I WANTED TO.

NARRATOR: THAT SEASON, ROBINSON
PLAYED BETTER THAN HE EVER HAD.

BY MID-JULY, HE WAS LEADING THE
LEAGUE IN HITS, BATTING AVERAGE,

STOLEN BASES,
AND RUNS BATTED IN.

WHEN ALL THE VOTES WERE TALLIED
FOR THE 1949 ALL-STAR GAME,

ONLY RED SOX OUTFIELDER
TED WILLIAMS HAD RECEIVED MORE.

CARL ERSKINE: YOU KNOW,
KIDS, THEY'RE HONEST.

AND WHEN A KID CAME BACK 3
TIMES FOR MY AUTOGRAPH, I SAID,

"WHY WOULD YOU WANT
THREE OF MINE?"

WELL, HE WAS HONEST.
HE SAID, "ACTUALLY I WANT SIX.

"IF I CAN GET SIX OF YOURS,

I COULD TRADE IT FOR
ONE OF JACKIE ROBINSON'S."

NARRATOR: OTHER TEAMS
WERE BEGINNING TO INTEGRATE,

BUT NO CLUB
MOVED AS QUICKLY AS THE DODGERS.

CATCHER ROY CAMPANELLA
HAD HIT ALMOST .500 IN APRIL.

DON NEWCOMBE THREW
A COMPLETE GAME SHUTOUT

IN HIS FIRST BIG-LEAGUE START

AND WON 5 OF HIS
FIRST 6 DECISIONS.

BUT THE THREE MEN
WERE ASSIGNED LOCKERS

IN A CORNER OF THE CLUBHOUSE,

AND THEY SHOWERED SEPARATELY
FROM THEIR WHITE TEAMMATES,

MANY OF WHOM
WERE STILL UNCOMFORTABLE

PLAYING WITH BLACKS.

[NEWSREEL MUSIC PLAYING]

ANNOUNCER:
EBBETS FIELD, BROOKLYN,

SCENE OF
THE 16th ANNUAL ALL-STAR GAME.

JACKIE ROBINSON UP.

JACKIE RIFLES A SHOT
INTO LEFT FIELD.

THE FIRST NEGRO PLAYER
TO APPEAR ON AN ALL-STAR GAME,

THE BROOKLYN DODGERS SPEED
MERCHANT DOESN'T STOP RUNNING

TILL HE FLIES INTO SECOND
WITH A DOUBLE.

NARRATOR: IN THE MIDDLE
OF HIS SPECTACULAR 1949 SEASON,

ROBINSON WAS ASKED TO TESTIFY

BEFORE THE HOUSE UN-AMERICAN
ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE,

WHICH WAS INVESTIGATING
INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS

SUSPECTED OF HAVING
COMMUNIST SYMPATHIES.

REPORTER: THE COMMITTEE
ON UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES,

ITSELF THE CENTER
OF NO LITTLE CONTROVERSY,

WAS DELVING THIS WEEK INTO STILL
ANOTHER QUESTION OF COMMUNISM:

WHERE LIES THE LOYALTY
OF OUR NEGRO POPULATION

IN THESE DAYS
OF CRITICAL COLD WAR TENSIONS?

NARRATOR: THE HOUSE COMMITTEE
WAS TARGETING THE SINGER,

ACTIVIST, AND FORMER COLLEGE
FOOTBALL STAR PAUL ROBESON

AND WAS SURE
THAT JACKIE ROBINSON

WOULD REFUTE ROBESON'S
CLAIM THAT BLACKS

WOULD NOT FIGHT IN CASE
OF WAR AGAINST THE SOVIET UNION.

PAUL ROBESON: ¶ HE DON'T
PLANT TATERS ¶

¶ HE DON'T PLANT COTTON ¶

¶ AND THEM THAT PLANTS 'EM ¶

¶ IS SOON FORGOTTEN... ¶

ROGER KAHN: YOU HAVE NOT
HEARD A BASS BARITONE SING

UNTIL YOU HEAR
A RECORDING OF ROBESON.

ROBESON: ¶ ...JUST KEEPS
ROLLING ALONG ¶

HE WAS ALSO A SERIOUS RADICAL.

HE WAS A GREAT FAN
OF THE SOVIET UNION.

AND HE SPOKE HIS MIND.

ROBESON: ¶ AND YOU LAND
IN THE JAIL... ¶

HARRY BELAFONTE:
FOR ME, PAUL ROBESON WAS

THE TALLEST TREE IN OUR FOREST.

ROBESON STOOD THAT STRONG IN
OUR MIDST AS THE KIND OF VOICE,

NOT ONLY FOR THE ISSUES
AFFECTING BLACK PEOPLE,

BUT FOR ISSUES AFFECTING
POOR PEOPLE, SAYING,

"THIS IS ALSO OUR SPACE,
THIS IS ALSO OUR TURF,

THIS IS ALSO OUR COUNTRY."

NARRATOR: BRANCH RICKEY,
FERVENTLY ANTI-COMMUNIST,

HAD URGED ROBINSON TO TESTIFY.

I HAVE BEEN ASKED
TO EXPRESS MY VIEWS

ON PAUL ROBESON'S STATEMENTS
IN PARIS

TO THE EFFECT THAT AMERICAN
NEGROES WOULD REFUSE TO FIGHT

IN ANY WAR AGAINST RUSSIA
BECAUSE WE LOVE RUSSIA SO MUCH.

I HAVEN'T ANY COMMENT TO MAKE
EXCEPT THAT ON THAT STATEMENT,

EXCEPT THAT IF MR. ROBESON
ACTUALLY MADE IT,

IT SOUNDS VERY SILLY TO ME.

IT ISN'T VERY PLEASANT
FOR ME TO FIND MYSELF

IN THE MIDDLE
OF A PUBLIC ARGUMENT

THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE
STANDING OF THE BROOKLYN DODGERS

IN THE PENNANT RACE
OR EVEN TO

THE PAY RAISE I'M GOING TO ASK
MR. BRANCH RICKEY FOR NEXT YEAR.

[LAUGHTER]

NARRATOR: THE "DAILY NEWS"
CALLED ROBINSON

"A CREDIT NOT ONLY
TO HIS OWN RACE,

BUT TO ALL AMERICAN PEOPLE,"

WHILE THE "NEW YORK POST" RAN
AN EXCERPT FROM THE STATEMENT

AS AN EDITORIAL TITLED
"CREDO OF AN AMERICAN."

EARLY: THE REACTION
IN THE WHITE PRESS, IT WAS,

"OH IT'S GREAT.

"HE GAVE THIS VERY NICE
STATEMENT,

"AND HE SAID BLACK PEOPLE
WERE LOYAL

AND BLACK PEOPLE
WERE PATRIOTIC,"

AND SO FORTH AND SO ON.

THE BLACK PRESS,
IT WAS MIXED

BECAUSE ROBESON WAS SEEN
AS A HERO AMONG BLACK PEOPLE.

NARRATOR:
THE POET LANGSTON HUGHES

WRITING
IN THE "CHICAGO DEFENDER,"

WONDERED HOW THE HOUSE COMMITTEE
COULD INVESTIGATE

"REDS AND SECOND BASEMEN
BUT NOT THE KU KLUX KLAN."

THE HABIT OF BAD-MOUTHING,
ONE WOMAN WROTE OF ROBINSON

TO THE "PITTSBURGH COURIER,"

"IS A SLAVERY TRAIT
AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN OUTGROWN."

BRYANT: IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF ONE
OF ROBINSON'S GREAT MISSTEPS.

THE GOVERNMENT WAS USING HIM

TO DESTROY
ANOTHER AFRICAN AMERICAN.

IT'S ALWAYS BEEN
A GREAT STRATEGY TO HAVE

ONE BLACK PERSON
CRITICIZE ANOTHER

TO DRIVE A WEDGE
BETWEEN THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

AND IT WAS VERY EFFECTIVE.

NARRATOR: THE INVESTIGATION
RUINED ROBESON'S CAREER.

THE SINGER HIMSELF
DECLINED TO CRITICIZE ROBINSON

AND INSTEAD
DENOUNCED THE HEARING

AS AN INSULT
TO ALL NEGRO PEOPLE.

MEANWHILE, ROBINSON
CONTINUED TO EXCEL ON THE FIELD.

ON THE FINAL DAY OF THE SEASON,

BROOKLYN CLINCHED
THE NATIONAL LEAGUE PENNANT

FOR THE SECOND TIME
IN THREE SEASONS.

BUT IN THE WORLD SERIES,
JACKIE STRUGGLED AT THE PLATE.

THE DODGERS AGAIN LOST
TO THE NEW YORK YANKEES.

STILL, 1949
WAS ROBINSON'S FINEST YEAR.

[NEWSREEL MUSIC PLAYING]

ANNOUNCER: AT HIS ST. ALBANS,

NEW YORK, HOME, BROOKLYN DODGER

JACKIE ROBINSON LEARNS THAT

THE SPORTSWRITERS HAVE VOTED
HIM THE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE.

THERE'S A WIFELY KISS
FOR JACKIE,

WHO LED THE LEAGUE
IN BATTING AND STOLEN BASES.

SON JACKIE JR. HEARS
THE NEWS ON HIS THIRD BIRTHDAY.

THE FIRST MEMBER OF
HIS RACE TO PLAY IN THE MAJORS

MAKES GOOD IN A BIG WAY.

NARRATOR: THAT FALL, JACKIE
AND RACHEL HAD BOUGHT A HOUSE

IN THE MIXED-RACE NEIGHBORHOOD
OF ST. ALBANS, QUEENS.

THE BANDLEADER COUNT BASIE,
SINGER LENA HORNE,

AND ROY AND RUTHE CAMPANELLA
ALL LIVED NEARBY.

THREE-YEAR-OLD JACKIE JR.

QUICKLY MADE FRIENDS
WITH KIDS ON THE BLOCK.

ON JANUARY 13, 1950, RACHEL GAVE
BIRTH TO A BABY GIRL, SHARON.

JACKIE STOOD OUTSIDE
THE YMCA IN HARLEM

ANNOUNCING THE GOOD NEWS
AND PASSING OUT CIGARS.

ARE YOU NERVOUS?

A LITTLE, MAYBE.

BUT I WON'T BE WHEN WE
GET OUT ON THE FIELD.

ANOTHER HOUR
AND WE'LL BEGIN.

WOULD YOU RATHER
I DIDN'T GO?

NO. YOU MIGHT AS
WELL COME TO THE GAME.

IF I'M GONNA FALL
ON MY FACE,

IT MIGHT AS WELL BE
IN FRONT OF YOU, TOO.

YOU WON'T
FALL DOWN, DARLING.

NARRATOR: "THE JACKIE ROBINSON
STORY," FILMED THAT WINTER,

STARRED JACKIE ROBINSON
AS HIMSELF,

WITH A YOUNG ACTRESS
NAMED RUBY DEE PLAYING RACHEL.

THE FILM GOT MIXED
REVIEWS, THOUGH CRITICS

DID PRAISE ROBINSON'S
UNDERSTATED PERFORMANCE.

MR. RICKEY, DO YOU
WANT A BALLPLAYER

WHO'S AFRAID
TO FIGHT BACK?

I WANT A BALLPLAYER

WITH GUTS ENOUGH
NOT TO FIGHT BACK.

THINK YOU'VE GOT GUTS ENOUGH
TO PLAY THE GAME

NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS?

NARRATOR: BUT IT WAS
A ONE-DIMENSIONAL PORTRAIT,

HELPING TO SOLIDIFY
MYTHS ABOUT ROBINSON

THAT WOULD PROVE
STUBBORNLY HARD TO DISLODGE.

SO I HAUL OFF AND PUNCH
YOU RIGHT IN THE CHEEK.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

MR. RICKEY, I'VE
GOT TWO CHEEKS.

GOOD.

[SPECTATORS CHATTERING]

NARRATOR: THAT SEASON,
JACKIE'S ASSERTIVENESS

BEGAN TO RANKLE
MANY IN THE BASEBALL WORLD.

ROBINSON WAS
CERTAIN THAT UMPIRES

WERE TREATING HIM DIFFERENTLY--

MAKING BAD CALLS, TAUNTING HIM,

THROWING HIM OUT OF GAMES
WITH LITTLE PROVOCATION

BECAUSE HE WAS BLACK.

LATER, THE "SPORTING NEWS" WOULD
CALL HIM A "CHRONIC GRIPER,"

AND HE WOULD BE FALSELY ACCUSED

OF KICKING IN THE DOOR
OF THE UMPIRES' DRESSING ROOM.

EARLY: HE HAD A KIND OF
FURY IN HIM.

I THINK FOR THE PUBLIC,
IT WAS MORE IMPORTANT FOR THEM

TO SEE A BLACK MAN ARGUING
AND BEING FEISTY.

IT WAS MORE IMPORTANT
FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE THAT

THAN TO SEE THE ROBINSON
THEY SAW AT FIRST.

NARRATOR:
MEANWHILE, BRANCH RICKEY

WAS FORCED OUT OF THE DODGERS
AT THE END OF THE 1950 SEASON

AFTER A POWER STRUGGLE
WITH CO-OWNER WALTER O'MALLEY,

LEAVING JACKIE WITHOUT
HIS FRIEND AND DEFENDER.

THE 1951 BROOKLYN DODGERS
WERE LOADED WITH ALL-STARS.

AND AS SPRING TRAINING BEGAN,

THEY WERE CONFIDENT THAT THEY
HAD THE BEST LINEUP IN BASEBALL.

BY MID-MAY, ROBINSON
WAS BATTING OVER .400

AND THE DODGERS
WERE IN FIRST PLACE.

BUT HE WAS STILL A TARGET.

BEFORE A GAME IN CINCINNATI,

LETTERS HAD BEEN SENT TO
THE REDS AND THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER

CLAIMING THAT
JACKIE ROBINSON WOULD BE SHOT

IF HE TOOK THE FIELD.

NEWCOMBE: I WON'T USE THE WORDS
THAT THEY USED, BUT THEY SAID,

"IF YOU SHOW UP TODAY AT CROSLEY
FIELD, YOU ARE GOING TO DIE."

JACKIE SAID, "WELL,
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?"

I SAID,
"WELL, WHAT DO YOU THINK?"

HE SAID, "ARE YOU
GOING TO THE BALLPARK TODAY?"

I SAID, "ARE YOU GOING?"
HE SAID, "YES, I'M GOING."

I SAID, "WELL, I'M GOING, TOO."

VIN SCULLY:
THAT WAS DEADLY SERIOUS.

THEY HAD F.B.I. MEN
THROUGHOUT THE BALLPARK,

ON THE ROOFTOPS.

AND THEY HAD A MEETING
BEFORE THE GAME.

IT WAS PRETTY TENSE.

AND IT GOT PRETTY QUIET.

AND WHAT--WHAT DO WE SAY?

GENE HERMANSKI,
KIND OF A KIDDER, SAID,

"HEY, SKIPPER, I GOT AN IDEA.

"IF WE ALL WORE NUMBER 42,

THEY WOULDN'T KNOW
WHO TO SHOOT AT."

AND JACKIE HAD A GOOD LAUGH.

AND HE SAID,
"LET'S PLAY BASEBALL."

[BAT HITS BALL]

NARRATOR: ROBINSON HIT A 3-RUN
HOME RUN IN THE FIRST GAME,

AND BROOKLYN SWEPT
THE DOUBLEHEADER.

NO SHOTS WERE FIRED.

[NEWSREEL MUSIC]

ANNOUNCER:
WHO NEEDS FIREWORKS ON JULY 4th?

ESPECIALLY WHEN
THE SECOND PLACE NEW YORK GIANTS

INVADE EBBETS FIELD
FOR A DOUBLEHEADER

AGAINST THE LEAGUE-LEADING
BROOKLYN DODGERS.

GIANT MANAGER DUROCHER IS...

NARRATOR: BY MID-AUGUST,

THE DODGERS LED
THE NATIONAL LEAGUE BY 13 GAMES

AND HAD BEATEN THEIR ARCHRIVALS,

THE SECOND PLACE NEW YORK
GIANTS, 12 OUT OF 15 TIMES.

[CHEERING]

BUT THEN BROOKLYN
STUMBLED AND THE GIANTS,

LED BY MONTE IRVIN AND A GIFTED
ROOKIE NAMED WILLIE MAYS,

WON 16 GAMES IN A ROW.

FRANK GRAHAM JR.: THE GIANTS
CAME WITH A TREMENDOUS RUSH.

AS THEY WERE CALLED IN THE
NEWSPAPERS, THE CREEPING TERROR.

REPORTER:
THE DODGERS NOW BATTLING

FOR THEIR PENNANT LIVES.

ANNOUNCER:
IT'S A HOMER FOR ROBINSON,

WHO ONLY A MOMENT
BEFORE HAD KEPT BROOKLYN ALIVE

WITH AN IMPOSSIBLE DIVING

THIRD-OUT CATCH
WITH BASES LOADED.

NARRATOR: THE DODGERS FINISHED
THE SEASON TIED FOR FIRST PLACE

AND WOULD NOW FACE
THE GIANTS IN A 3-GAME PLAYOFF

FOR THE NATIONAL LEAGUE TITLE.

THE WINNER WOULD EARN
A TRIP TO THE WORLD SERIES

AGAINST THE YANKEES.

RALPH BRANCA:
SO NOW WE HAVE A PLAYOFF.

AND WE WON THE TOSS.

AND CHARLIE DRESSEN,

HE DECIDED
WE'D PLAY THE FIRST ONE AT HOME

AND THE NEXT TWO AWAY,
WHICH IS ASININE.

YOU NEED LAST AT-BATS.

NARRATOR: THE DODGERS
LOST GAME ONE AT HOME,

AND THEN CRUSHED THE GIANTS
10-0 THE NEXT DAY IN MANHATTAN.

ANNOUNCER: NEW YORK IS BASEBALL
WILD OVER A CLIMACTIC WIND-UP

FOR THE SUDDEN DEATH GAME
IN THE PLAYOFF

BETWEEN THE FALTERING DODGERS
AND THE STRETCH-RUNNING GIANTS.

NARRATOR: ON OCTOBER 3, 1951,

THE DODGERS AND GIANTS
FACED EACH OTHER

FOR A FINAL DECIDING GAME
AT THE POLO GROUNDS.

GORDON McLENDON:
AFTER 156 GAMES EACH,

TWO MORE THAN
THE REGULAR SCHEDULE CALLS FOR,

THE BUMS FROM BROOKLYN,
THE GIANTS FROM NEW YORK

HAVE COME DOWN TO THE WIRE

TO WHERE IT IS ALL OR NOTHING.

NARRATOR:
WITH THE DODGERS LEADING 4-2

IN THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH,

RALPH BRANCA CAME IN TO FACE
THIRD BASEMAN BOBBY THOMSON.

THERE WERE TWO MEN ON BASE.

RUSS HODGES: AND WE'LL
SEE HOW RALPH BRANCA WILL FARE

AGAINST BOBBY THOMSON
AND THEN WILLIE MAYS TO FOLLOW.

BRANCA: THEY BROUGHT ME IN.

AND THE FIRST PITCH
TO THOMSON...

AND HE TOOK IT.

YOU COULDN'T PUT IT ANY MORE
IN THE CENTER OF THE PLATE

THAN THAT.

I MEAN IT WAS CROTCH-HIGH, RIGHT
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PLATE.

THE SECOND PITCH
I'M WASTIN', UP AND IN.

BUT HE KNOWS IT'S A FASTBALL.

HODGES: ...WITH NOT
TOO BIG OF A LEAD AT SECOND,

BUT HE'LL BE RUNNING LIKE
THE WIND IF THOMSON HITS ONE.

BRANCA THROWS.
THERE'S A LONG DRIVE.

IT'S GONNA BE, I BELIEVE...

THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT!

THE GIANTS WIN
THE PENNANT!

THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT!

THE GIANTS WIN
THE PENNANT!

BOBBY THOMSON HITS
INTO THE LOWER DECK

OF THE LEFT-FIELD...

SCULLY: WHEN BOBBY HIT
THE HOME RUN,

EVERYBODY STARTED
LEAVING THE FIELD.

JACKIE STOOD AT SECOND BASE

AND MADE SURE THAT BOBBY THOMSON
STEPPED ON EACH BAG.

TYPICAL. YOU KNOW,
WITH EVERYTHING ELSE,

UH, HE WAS STILL DOING HIS JOB.

RACHEL ROBINSON: JACK
SUDDENLY LOST A LOT OF WEIGHT.

AND HE BEGAN TO HAVE
PAIN IN HIS LEGS.

NARRATOR: IN 1952, AT AGE 33,

JACKIE ROBINSON
WAS DIAGNOSED WITH DIABETES.

RACHEL ROBINSON:
THE DOCTOR ALSO FOUND

THAT HIS HEART
WAS DETERIORATING.

IT WAS A SHOCK TO BOTH OF US

BECAUSE IT MEANT OUR LIVES
WERE GOING TO CHANGE

FOREVER AFTER THAT.

AND THEY DID.

HE DIDN'T WANT
TO DISCUSS IT WITH ANYONE

AND NEVER TALKED ABOUT
WHAT CHANGES HE HAD TO MAKE

IN ORDER TO KEEP PLAYING.

NARRATOR: IN MAY, RACHEL GAVE
BIRTH TO ANOTHER SON, DAVID.

"I HAVE HAD TO REALIZE
THAT BASEBALL," ROBINSON SAID,

"WILL ONE DAY BE OVER."

THAT SEASON, THE DODGERS
WON 96 GAMES

AND HELPED REDEEM
THEIR HEARTBREAKING COLLAPSE

OF THE PREVIOUS FALL.

DESPITE HIS HEALTH ISSUES,

ROBINSON AGAIN LED
THE WAY, BATTING .308

AND HITTING A CAREER-BEST
19 HOME RUNS.

BUT IN THE WORLD SERIES,
HE HIT JUST .174.

ANNOUNCER: A 4-2 SEVENTH GAME
VICTORY FOR THE YANKEES,

THEIR FOURTH STRAIGHT
WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP.

RACHEL ROBINSON: IT WAS,
YOU KNOW, "WE'RE NOT GIVIN' UP.

"WE'LL JUST HAVE TO WAIT.

IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN."

I MEAN, IT'S LIKE,
"IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN!"

BUT WITH THE YANKEES--
THOSE YANKEES WERE IMPOSSIBLE.

ANNOUNCER: BUT ALONG
FLATBUSH AVENUE, BROOKLYN,

THE AWFUL SILENCE OF DEFEAT.

AGAIN, IT'S,
WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR.

IN THE YANKEE DRESSING
ROOM, EXCITEMENT...

NARRATOR: DURING THE OFF-SEASON,
ROBINSON WAS ASKED

IF HE THOUGHT THE YANKEES
WERE PREJUDICED.

"YES," HE RESPONDED.

"THERE ISN'T A SINGLE NEGRO
ON THE TEAM NOW

AND VERY FEW
IN THE ENTIRE FARM SYSTEM."

THE YANKEES WERE FURIOUS,

INSISTING THAT THEY WOULD BE
HAPPY TO FIELD A BLACK PLAYER,

IF ONLY ONE WERE GOOD ENOUGH.

MANY WHITES GREW TO RESENT

ROBINSON'S
INCREASING OUTSPOKENNESS,

AND SOME BLACKS WORRIED THAT
IT WOULD SET BACK THE PROGRESS

HE'D MADE FOR THEM.

"JACKIE ROBINSON
OUGHT TO BEHAVE HIMSELF,"

ONE WOMAN WROTE
THE "CHICAGO DEFENDER,"

"BEFORE HE RUINS EVERYTHING
FOR NEGROES IN BASEBALL."

REPORTERS WHO HAD ONCE
SUNG HIS PRAISES

NOW CALLED HIM A RABBLE-ROUSER,

URGED HIM TO BE A PLAYER,
NOT A CRUSADER.

THE "NEW ORLEANS TIMES PICAYUNE"
ACCUSED ROBINSON

OF BEING INSOLENT
AND ANTAGONISTIC

AND DECLARED THAT HE HAD
DONE MORE TO WIDEN THE BREACH

BETWEEN THE RACES THAN 10 OF
THE MOST RABID SEGREGATIONISTS.

BRYANT: HE WAS BEING HELD
TO A DIFFERENT STANDARD.

HERE'S A PERSON
WHO'S IN FULL DIMENSION.

THIS IS WHO HE WAS.

WITHOUT THAT ANGER,
YOU DON'T GET JACKIE ROBINSON.

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW
JACKIE ROBINSON OR DON'T YOU?

RACHEL ROBINSON:
BECAUSE HE WAS A BLACK MAN

WHEN HE WAS BEING ASSERTIVE,
HE WAS BEING PUT IN A KIND OF

STEREOTYPE OF BLACK MEN,
LIKE ANGRY BLACK MAN.

HE WAS NOT AN ANGRY BLACK MAN.

HE WAS AN ATHLETE
WHO WANTED TO WIN.

BELAFONTE: IT'S OK TO BE ANGRY.

DR. KING SAID SO OFTEN,
"ANGER IS A RIGHTEOUS EMOTION."

IT'S ALMOST NECESSARY
TO YOUR BEING.

BRYANT: WHO WOULDN'T BE ANGRY?

AND WHAT WE WOULD PREFER TO
DO IN AMERICA IS TO ALWAYS FOCUS

ON THE PERSON WHO'S ANGRY

AND NOT FOCUS ON
THE SITUATION THAT CREATED IT.

NEWCOMBE: I REALLY
DON'T KNOW HOW HE SURVIVED

AND PERFORMED THE WAY HE
PERFORMED ON THE BASEBALL FIELD,

GOING THROUGH
ALL OF THESE THINGS.

IT WAS WRONG.

THEY WANTED YOU TO
BE LIKE THEY WANTED YOU TO BE.

AND WE WERE NOT GONNA BE
LIKE THEY WANTED YOU TO BE.

WE WERE GONNA BE LIKE
WE WANTED TO BE,

BECAUSE SOMEBODY
OWED US SOMETHING.

SOMEBODY OWED US SOMETHING.

AND THEY OWED IT--THEY OWED
IT MOSTLY TO JACKIE ROBINSON.

NARRATOR: BUT ROBINSON'S
TEAMMATE ROY CAMPANELLA

WAS WORRIED
THAT JACKIE'S ASSERTIVENESS

WOULD DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD.

EARLY: AS CAMPANELLA BEGINS TO
RISE AS A STAR ON THE DODGERS,

THERE BECOMES MORE
OF THIS PITTING THE PERSONALITY

OF CAMPANELLA AGAINST
THE PERSONALITY OF ROBINSON

AND THE SPORTSWRITERS
LIKING CAMPANELLA MORE, UH,

BECAUSE HE'S, UM--

HE'S MORE HOW THEY THINK
A BLACK PLAYER SHOULD ACT.

NARRATOR: "A FEW YEARS AGO,

THERE WERE MANY MORE THINGS
I COULDN'T DO," HE SAID.

"I'M WILLING TO WAIT.
ALL THIS CAME BY WAITING."

ERSKINE: ROY CAMPANELLA CAME
OUT OF POVERTY IN PHILADELPHIA.

HE CAME UP THE TOUGH WAY.

WHEN HE MADE THE BIG LEAGUES, TO
HIM, THIS WAS HEAVEN ON EARTH.

AND SO HE WOULD TELL
THE YOUNG PLAYERS

WHO MIGHT WANT TO COMPLAIN
ABOUT THEIR LOCKER OR SOMETHING,

"HEY, COOL IT. COOL IT.
WE'RE IN THE BIG LEAGUES.

DON'T ROCK THE BOAT.
WE'RE HERE!"

RACHEL ROBINSON:
HE AND JACK WERE VERY CLOSE.

BUT CAMPY WAS NOT A PROTESTER.

AND HE FELT THAT JACK
PROTESTED TOO MUCH.

SAID, "YOU'RE LUCKY TO BE HERE."

AND JACK HATED THAT ATTITUDE.

AND THEY BEGAN TO SPLIT.

IT WAS VERY SAD
FOR BOTH FAMILIES

BECAUSE WE HAD BEEN VERY CLOSE.

NARRATOR: WHATEVER THEIR
DIFFERENCES OFF THE FIELD,

THE TWO MEN CONTINUED TO BE
THE HEART OF A DODGERS LINEUP

THAT SEEMED TO FEATURE
A NEW BLACK STAR EACH SEASON.

BUT WHEN JUNIOR GILLIAM,
A SKILLED INFIELDER,

WAS PROMOTED TO THE DODGERS
FOR THE 1953 SEASON,

SOME WHITE PLAYERS
TOOK EXCEPTION.

GRAHAM JR.: CHARLIE DRESSEN
WAS EXPERIMENTING

WITH PUTTING GILLIAM IN,
WHICH LEFT BILLY COX,

THE GREAT DEFENSIVE THIRD
BASEMAN, AS THE ODD MAN OUT.

AND THERE WAS SOME
GRUMBLING AMONG VETERAN PLAYERS

THAT "THE BLACKS ARE COMING
IN AND AND TAKING OUR JOBS."

NARRATOR: "HOW WOULD YOU
LIKE A NIGGER TO TAKE YOUR JOB?"

COX ASKED A REPORTER.

LATER, AFTER THE DODGERS
FIELDED A LINEUP THAT INCLUDED

MORE BLACKS THAN WHITES,
THE PRESS MADE AN ISSUE OF IT.

"THE THOUGHT HAS BEEN ADVANCED,"
WROTE THE "SPORTING NEWS,"

THAT TOO MANY BLACKS ON ONE TEAM

"WOULD NOT BE GOOD
FOR BUSINESS."

ANNOUNCER:
GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY.

TODAY'S DECISION
BY THE U.S. SUPREME COURT

IS CALLED THE MOST
IMPORTANT ACTION OF ITS KIND

SINCE THE EMANCIPATION
PROCLAMATION.

OUR HIGH TRIBUNAL TODAY
OUTLAWING RACIAL SEGREGATION

IN SCHOOLS, BUT IT DOES NOT
MEAN TOTAL CHANGE AT ONCE.

THE REACTION IN THE SOUTH
IS IMMEDIATE AND IT'S ANGRY,

WITH NEW PROPOSALS
TO TRANSFORM THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

INTO A PRIVATE SCHOOL
SYSTEM THERE.

NARRATOR: AS THE PUSH FOR
SOCIAL JUSTICE ACCELERATED

ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
JACKIE TRIED TO DO HIS PART,

DEMANDING THAT
HE AND HIS BLACK TEAMMATES

NOW HAVE FULL ACCESS
TO THE LOBBIES, BARS,

AND SWIMMING POOLS
OF THE HOTELS WHERE THEY STAYED.

BUT OLD CUSTOMS
REMAINED ENTRENCHED EVERYWHERE.

RACHEL ROBINSON: I THINK
THAT THE NORTHERN RACISM

AS I EXPERIENCE IT TO THIS
VERY DAY IS MORE DETRIMENTAL,

MORE DESTRUCTIVE
THAN WHAT HAPPENS IN THE SOUTH.

THE ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES
IN THE SOUTH WERE EASIER

TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND
OR TO FIGHT AGAINST

THAN THE SUBTLE RACISM
IN THE NORTH WHERE PEOPLE SAID,

"OH, NO, WE'RE NOT RACIST.

IT JUST HAPPENS THAT
ALL THE BUS DRIVERS ARE WHITE."

NARRATOR: SINCE THE ARRIVAL
OF THEIR THIRD CHILD,

RACHEL ROBINSON
HAD BEEN SEARCHING FOR A NEW,

LARGER HOME.

A HOUSE IN PURCHASE,
NEW YORK, NORTH OF THE CITY,

SEEMED JUST RIGHT,

BUT WHEN THE ROBINSONS
OFFERED THE ASKING PRICE,

IT WAS QUICKLY
TAKEN OFF THE MARKET.

DOWN THE ROAD IN PORT CHESTER,

WHITES GLARED AT RACHEL
AS SHE TOURED ANOTHER PROPERTY.

IN GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT,

ONE COUPLE REFUSED
EVEN TO SHOW HER THEIR HOUSE.

RACHEL ROBINSON: WHEN
WE WENT TO TRY TO BUY PROPERTY

IN STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT,
THE BROKER SAID

THERE WAS NOTHING TO BE HAD.

AND SHE--OR SHE WOULD TAKE US TO
UNSUITABLE TYPES OF PROPERTIES.

BUT THEN WE LE--LEARNED
THAT SHE LIVED IN STAMFORD

AND SHE DIDN'T WANT US THERE.

NARRATOR: WHEN A REPORTER FOR
THE "BRIDGEPORT HERALD" HEARD

ABOUT RACHEL'S TROUBLES,
HE MADE THE ROBINSONS

THE FOCUS OF A PIECE
ON HOUSING BIAS IN THE AREA.

CARLY SIMON: MY MOTHER
FOUND OUT FROM THE PAPERS

THAT THE ROBINSONS
HAD BEEN DENIED THE ABILITY

TO BUY PROPERTY
IN STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT.

AND SO MY MOTHER WENT AROUND TO
TEMPLES AND CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS

AND STARTED SPEAKING UP A STORM.

NARRATOR:
ANDREA SIMON, THE WIFE OF

THE CO-FOUNDER OF THE PUBLISHING
HOUSE SIMON & SCHUSTER,

INVITED RACHEL TO STAMFORD
AND ARRANGED FOR A BROKER

TO TAKE THEM ON A TOUR
OF AVAILABLE PROPERTIES.

THEIR LAST STOP WAS
A 5-ACRE PLOT ON CASCADE ROAD

WITH SEVERAL PONDS
AND A PARTIALLY LAID FOUNDATION.

IT WAS EXACTLY WHAT RACHEL
HAD BEEN DREAMING OF.

DURING THE SUMMER OF 1954 WITH
THEIR HOUSE UNDER CONSTRUCTION,

THE ROBINSONS MOVED IN
WITH CARLY SIMON AND HER FAMILY.

SIMON: I CAME OUT
OF THE FRONT DOOR TO SEE

WHERE MY MOTHER
HAD BEEN ALL DAY.

AND SHE SAID,
"THESE ARE THE ROBINSONS, CARLY.

I WANT YOU TO MEET
JACKIE AND RACHEL ROBINSON."

OF COURSE I KNEW
WHO JACKIE ROBINSON WAS.

I WAS GOING TO BE
THE FIRST GIRL CENTER FIELDER

THAT THERE EVER WAS.

SO JACKIE TOOK A LITTLE BAT,
A CHILD SIZE BAT,

AND HE TAUGHT ME TO SWING
A BAT.

HE WAS--HE WAS, YOU KNOW,
HE WAS A KING.

RACHEL ROBINSON: WHEN
WE BUILT OUR HOUSE, WE KNEW THAT

THERE WOULD BE PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T
BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE THERE.

BUT WE WANTED A NATURAL
SETTING FOR OUR FAMILY--

ACREAGE AROUND US WHERE
WE COULD BE FREE TO RUN AND PLAY

AND ROLL IN THE GRASS--

ALL THE THINGS YOU THINK
ABOUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HOME

AND THE PEACE AND COMFORT
OF HOME.

JACKIE: "GOVERNOR BRADFORD
HAD INVITED THEM

TO A FEAST THIS THANKSGIVING..."

RACHEL ROBINSON:
AND WE CREATED IT.

I THINK WE FEEL PROUD OF THAT,

HAVING PRODUCED
THIS FOR OURSELVES.

JACKIE: "THE INDIANS
WORE LEGGINGS

AND A KIND OF SHIRT
MADE OF DEERSKIN..."

[MUSIC PLAYING ON SOUNDTRACK]

ERSKINE: ONE DAY, WE
HAD A BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR PEE WEE

AT EBBETS FIELD.

IN THE FIFTH INNING,
THE GAME WAS HALTED

AND HE'S GONNA GET A CAR,
AND WE GAVE HIM AWARDS.

AND WE SANG "HAPPY BIRTHDAY."

AND WHILE THE LIGHTS
WERE DOWN, THE GROUND CREW

WENT ON TOP OF EBBETS FIELD AND
RAN UP A SMALL CONFEDERATE FLAG

IN HIS HONOR BECAUSE HE
WAS FROM LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

WE GO IN THE CLUBHOUSE
AFTER THE GAME.

AND JACKIE IS IRATE.
I MEAN, HE WAS LIVID.

"WHO WOULD EVER LET JIM CROW
BACK IN THE BALLPARK?"

EARLY:
I THINK IT'S VERY DIFFICULT

FOR MANY PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND

THE INDIGNITIES THAT
A BLACK PERSON HAD TO ENDURE.

AND JACKIE ROBINSON
WAS A MAN WHO HAD

AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT
OF RACE PRIDE

AND, UH, SAW NO REASON
WHY HE SHOULD HAVE TO ENDURE

INDIGNITIES OF THAT SORT.

NARRATOR:
DURING THE 1955 SEASON,

JACKIE ROBINSON HIT ONLY .256
AND SAT OUT ALMOST 50 GAMES,

PLAGUED BY ANKLE
AND KNEE INJURIES.

BUT THE DODGERS, NOW
LED BY ALL-STARS DUKE SNIDER,

ROY CAMPANELLA,
AND 20-GAME-WINNER DON NEWCOMBE,

WON 98 GAMES AND CLINCHED
THE NATIONAL LEAGUE PENNANT

WITH 16 GAMES TO GO.

[FANFARE]

THEY WOULD AGAIN
FACE THE DREADED YANKEES

IN THE WORLD SERIES.

ANNOUNCER:
A PACKED YANKEE STADIUM

FOR THE WORLD SERIES OPENER--
RIVAL MANAGERS CASEY STENGEL

FOR THE NEW YORK YANKEES,
WALT ALSTON FOR THE DODGERS.

THE BIG QUESTION:

CAN THE BROOKS DO IT THIS TIME?

NARRATOR: IN THE EIGHTH
INNING OF THE FIRST GAME

WITH THE DODGERS
TRAILING BY 3 RUNS,

JACKIE ROBINSON REACHED
SECOND BASE ON AN ERROR

AND THEN ADVANCED TO THIRD
ON A SACRIFICE FLY.

[CHEERING]

ANNOUNCER: EIGHTH INNING.
YANKS' WHITEY FORD

TRYING TO STAVE OFF
A DODGER RALLY.

THE PITCH.

AND JACKIE ROBINSON, ON
THIRD, STREAKS IN TO STEAL HOME!

[CHEERING]

"SAFE," SAYS UMPIRE SUMMERS,
AND THE RHUBARB IS ON.

ERSKINE: AT THIS POINT IN
HIS CAREER, HE WAS NOT AS FAST.

HE WASN'T AS QUICK.
HE WAS HEAVIER.

HE WENT AGAINST ALL THE ODDS.

THAT STEALING OF HOME
WAS JACKIE'S WAY

OF MAKING A STATEMENT.

NARRATOR: IT WAS THE 19th TIME
THAT JACKIE ROBINSON HAD DONE

ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT THINGS
IN ALL OF SPORTS--STEAL HOME.

AND EVEN THOUGH
THE YANKEES WON THAT GAME,

JACKIE'S DARING MOVE
GALVANIZED THE DODGERS.

ONCE AGAIN,
THE SERIES WENT TO 7 GAMES.

AL HELFER: STARTS INTO HIS
WINDUP. HERE'S THE 1-1 PITCH.

IT'S A CURVE BALL HIT ON INTO
RIGHT CENTER FIELD. GOING...

NARRATOR: BUT THIS TIME,

THE DODGERS TOOK A 2-0 LEAD
INTO THE NINTH.

HELFER: TWO BALLS,
TWO STRIKES.

THIS IS THE LAST HALF
OF THE NINTH INNING.

JOHNNY PODRES INTO
HIS WINDUP AND THE 2-2 PITCH--

A LOT OF CURVE.

A GROUND BALL TO LEFT SIDE.

PEE WEE REESE HAS IT.
THE THROW TO FIRST...

AND HE'S OUT.

AND THE DODGERS WIN!

THEY'RE GRABBING JOHNNY PODRES,
THEY'RE PUMMELING HIM,

PUSHING HIM AROUND.

ANNOUNCER:
MAN, OH, BOY. OH, PODRES.

THIS--THIS WAS SOMETHING.

THIS WAS AS FINE
A WORLD SERIES BALL GAME

THAT EVER HAS BEEN PLAYED
ALMOST, AND CERTAINLY NOBODY...

NARRATOR: AFTER 72 SEASONS OF
BIG-LEAGUE BASEBALL IN BROOKLYN

AND EIGHT FAILED TRIPS
TO THE WORLD SERIES, THE DODGERS

AND JACKIE ROBINSON
WERE FINALLY CHAMPIONS.

ERSKINE: WE WENT UP
THE RUNWAY AT YANKEE STADIUM

INTO THE VISITORS' CLUBHOUSE.

THERE WAS NOT
THE BURST OF EXCITEMENT

AND THE CHAMPAGNE RIGHT AWAY.

THERE WAS VERY QUIET

THE FIRST FEW MOMENTS
WE GOT IN THERE,

AND I FELT IT.

I FELT ALMOST
A SPIRITUAL FEELING ABOUT THIS--

THIS EXPERIENCE.

AND I KIND OF TEARED UP.

PEE WEE HAD TEARS IN HIS EYES.

JACKIE.

AND FOR A MOMENT OR TWO,
THERE WAS JUST REVERENCE

ABOUT THIS EXPERIENCE...

BEFORE NEWCOMBE, PEE WEE,
AND DUKE POPPED THE CHAMPAGNE.

AND THEN ON, IT WAS
JUST, BLEW THE TOP OFF

ALL NIGHT IN BROOKLYN.

NEVER BEEN THE SAME.

HOW DO YOU FEEL?

OH, I FEEL GREAT.

UH, THERE'S NO WAY--NO OTHER
WAY TO FEEL BUT GREAT

AFTER YOU WIN
THE WORLD SERIES.

JACKIE: CAN'T HARDLY TALK.

BOY, THIS IS SOMETHING,
I TELL YOU.

REPORTER: YOU WAIT A LONG
TIME FOR THIS ONE, JACKIE?

JACKIE: YES, WE HAVE,
AND WE GOT IT NOW!

AND WE'RE GONNA GET A LOT
MORE BEFORE IT'S OVER...

RACHEL ROBINSON:
HE WAS BEYOND EXCITED.

IT WAS THE PINNACLE OF
WHAT HE HAD HOPED FOR

AND HAD WAITED SO LONG FOR.

NARRATOR: THAT WINTER OF 1955
IN AN ACT OF DEFIANCE

SIMILAR TO THE ONE
JACKIE ROBINSON HAD MADE

ON AN ARMY BASE
11 YEARS EARLIER, ROSA PARKS,

A 42-YEAR-OLD SEAMSTRESS
AND SECRETARY

OF THE MONTGOMERY,
ALABAMA, CHAPTER OF THE NAACP,

REFUSED TO MOVE
TO THE BACK OF A CITY BUS

WHEN THE DRIVER ORDERED HER

TO GIVE UP HER SEAT
FOR A WHITE MAN.

A PROTRACTED
BUS BOYCOTT FOLLOWED.

"THE MORE I READ
ABOUT THE MONTGOMERY SITUATION,"

JACKIE WROTE,

"THE MORE RESPECT I HAVE
FOR THE JOB THEY ARE DOING."

AMONG THE LEADERS
OF THE BOYCOTT WAS

A YOUNG MINISTER FROM ATLANTA
NAMED MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

AS A STUDENT
AT MOREHOUSE COLLEGE,

HE HAD BEEN INSPIRED
BY ROBINSON'S

BREAKING OF THE COLOR LINE

AND PRAISED THE AFRICAN AMERICAN
PIONEER FOR "SHAKING THE GATES."

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.:
WHEN YOU SIT DOWN ON THE BUS

AND YOU SIT DOWN IN THE FRONT OR
YOU SIT DOWN BY A WHITE PERSON,

YOU ARE SITTING THERE BECAUSE
YOU HAVE A DUTY TO SIT THERE,

NOT MERELY BECAUSE
YOU HAVE A RIGHT.

YOU HAVE A DUTY TO SIT THERE

BECAUSE AS LONG AS YOU
SIT IN THE BACK,

YOU HAVE A FALSE SENSE
OF INFERIORITY.

AND SO LONG AS YOU LET
THE WHITE MAN SIT IN THE FRONT

AND PUSH YOU BACK THERE, HE HAS
A FALSE SENSE OF SUPERIORITY.

[CROWD MEMBERS CHEER,
SPEAK EXCITEDLY]

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS]

RACHEL ROBINSON: IN 1956,
JACK WASN'T IN PEAK CONDITION.

AND HE KNEW IT.

HE JUST DIDN'T FEEL AS UP
FOR THE GAME AS--

AS HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN.

HE ALSO SENSED THAT THE OWNERS
WERE BEGINNING TO TAKE

THAT SAME POSITION ABOUT HIM.

NARRATOR: NURSING STIFF JOINTS
AND SORE LEGS,

ROBINSON MUDDLED THROUGH
THE 1956 SEASON.

HE PLAYED THIRD, SECOND,
FIRST, AND THE OUTFIELD--

WHEREVER THE MANAGER PUT HIM.

BRYANT: MY FAVORITE PERIOD
IN SPORTS IS

THE PERIOD WHEN THE PLAYER
HAS DIMINISHED

BUT THE FIRE STILL ALLOWS THEM
TO BE GREAT IN SMALL MOMENTS.

THEY CAN'T DO IT OVER
A FULL SEASON,

BUT WHEN IT COUNTS,
THEY CAN STILL GET YOU.

BY 1956, HE WAS DONE
AS AN EVERYDAY PLAYER.

BUT WHEN IT MATTERED, THAT'S
WHEN YOU SAW THE OLD ROBINSON,

AND THAT'S WHEN THE OLD FLASHES
CAME BACK.

THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF HIM.

HE WAS ABLE TO CONJURE UP
ALL THE OLD MAGIC.

HE COULDN'T DO IT
EVERY SINGLE DAY,

BUT HE COULD BURY YOU,
AND HE DID.

ANNOUNCER: EVERY GAME
HAS ITS HEROES...

NARRATOR:
ON THE FINAL DAY OF THE SEASON,

ROBINSON HIT A HOME RUN TO HELP
BROOKLYN CLINCH THE PENNANT.

BUT IN THE WORLD SERIES,

THE YANKEES BEAT THE DODGERS
IN 7 GAMES AGAIN.

ANNOUNCER: A TEAR GROWS IN
BROOKLYN AS JACKIE ROBINSON IS

THE LAST OUT
AS THE NEW YORK YANKEES

REGAIN THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.

NARRATOR:
THAT FALL, RUMORS SURFACED

THAT ROBINSON
WAS BEING CONSIDERED

TO MANAGE THE MONTREAL ROYALS.

RACHEL ROBINSON:
NEITHER RICKEY NOR O'MALLEY

THOUGHT HE SHOULD BE A MANAGER

OR ENCOURAGED HIM
TO BE A MANAGER.

IT WASN'T SOMETHING
HE WAS GONNA FIGHT FOR.

I THINK HE WAS GONNA WAIT
TILL IT WAS BESTOWED ON HIM

BY THEM, AND THEY DIDN'T.

AND HE WALKED AWAY FROM IT.

NARRATOR: ROBINSON CLAIMED THAT
HE WOULD PLAY AGAIN IN 1957,

BUT DURING THE OFF-SEASON,
HE HAD SECRETLY AGREED TO BECOME

VICE-PRESIDENT OF
CHOCK FULL O'NUTS,

A CHAIN OF COFFEE SHOPS
IN NEW YORK CITY.

BEFORE NEWS OF ROBINSON'S
RETIREMENT BECAME PUBLIC,

THE DODGERS STUNNED
THE BASEBALL WORLD

BY TRADING HIM
TO THE NEW YORK GIANTS.

ERSKINE: HOW...HOW COULD
YOU EVER TRADE JACKIE ROBINSON,

AND TO THE GIANTS?!

'CAUSE WHEN YOU SAY
TED WILLIAMS,

YOU KNOW IT'S THE RED SOX.

MUSIAL IS THE CARDINALS.
DIMAGGIO IS THE YANKEES.

THE DODGERS IS JACKIE.

NARRATOR: WHEN ROBINSON'S PLAN
TO LEAVE THE GAME

AND JOIN
CHOCK FULL O'NUTS LEAKED,

THE DODGERS FRONT
OFFICE SUGGESTED THAT JACKIE WAS

JUST TRYING TO GET
A HIGHER SALARY FROM THE GIANTS.

SOME ACCUSED HIM OF INGRATITUDE.

FRANK LANE, THE GENERAL MANAGER
OF THE CARDINALS SAID,

"I'D SAY THAT MR. ROBINSON OWES
EVERYTHING HE HAS TO BASEBALL."

BUT OTHERS DEFENDED HIM.

"IF THERE IS
AN UNFULFILLED OBLIGATION

IN THE CASE OF BASEBALL
VS. JACKIE ROBINSON,"

WROTE HAROLD WEISSMAN
IN THE "NEW YORK MIRROR,"

"THE DEBT BELONGS TO BASEBALL,

WHICH CAN NEVER
PAY OFF IN FULL."

BRYANT: THEY COULD NOT WAIT
TO GET RID OF HIM.

THEY COULDN'T WAIT TO NOT HAVE
TO HEAR HIM ANYMORE COMPLAIN

THAT THE YANKEES
WEREN'T INTEGRATING

AND COMPLAIN THAT
THE RED SOX WEREN'T INTEGRATING

AND COMPLAIN THAT THERE
WAS NO THIRD-BASE COACHES

THAT WERE BLACK.

ROBINSON UNDERSTOOD
THAT WHAT YOU WERE GIVING HIM

BY PUTTING HIM IN UNIFORM
WASN'T ENOUGH.

IT WAS NEVER GONNA BE
ENOUGH UNTIL HE GOT EVERYTHING,

WHICH IS FULL PARTNERSHIP
IN THE AMERICAN DREAM.

[CHEERING]

ED CHARLES:
WE WERE JACKIE DISCIPLES.

JACK WAS
INTEGRATING THE MAJOR LEAGUES.

NOW WE GOT TO INTEGRATE
THE MINOR LEAGUES.

AND THAT WAS PRETTY TOUGH.

THERE WAS TIMES I FELT
LIKE I WANTED TO QUIT,

BUT THEN I WOULD THINK
ABOUT JACKIE

AND WHAT HE HAD TO GO THROUGH.

IF JACKIE DIDN'T QUIT,
I'M NOT GONNA QUIT.

MINNIE MINOSO:
WE ARE LIKE A CLOWN.

YOU MIGHT BE CRYING INSIDE,
BUT THE PEOPLE, THEY DON'T KNOW.

YOU HAVE TO GIVE
THE BEST WHEN YOU PERFORM

AND SMILE ALL THE TIME,
EVEN IF YOU INSIDE CRYING.

IF JACKIE MAKE IT, I MAKE IT.

AND I SAID, "I HAVE A CHANCE."

MICHELLE OBAMA: SO MANY OF US,
I KNOW, GROWING UP,

WERE TAUGHT BY OUR PARENTS
AND OUR GRANDPARENTS

THAT YOU HAVE TO BE
BETTER THAN GOOD.

YOU HAVE TO BE TWICE AS GOOD.

A LOT OF THAT COMES FROM LOOKING
AT PEOPLE LIKE JACKIE ROBINSON.

THOSE OPPORTUNITIES DON'T COME
UNLESS YOU'RE READY FOR THEM.

AND YOU HAVE TO BE READY THAN--
MORE READY THAN MOST.

NARRATOR: JACKIE ROBINSON'S
LEGACY IN BASEBALL

WAS SUBSTANTIAL
AND LONG-LASTING.

BLACK PLAYERS WERE NOW ON
NEARLY EVERY ROSTER.

AND IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE,

THEY WON THE MVP AWARD
9 OUT OF 11 YEARS.

ROBINSON'S FORBEARANCE
AND DETERMINATION

HAD OPENED THE DOOR FOR LATIN

AS WELL AS
AFRICAN AMERICAN PLAYERS,

INCLUDING MANY OF THE GREATEST
STARS WHO EVER PLAYED THE GAME.

[SOUNDS OF BATS HITTING BALLS]

[SOUND OF BALL HITTING GLOVE]

[CROWD CHEERING]

[SOUNDS OF RADIO TRANSMISSIONS]

ANNOUNCER: OUR GUEST IS ONE
OF BASEBALL'S ALL-TIME GREATS,

JACKIE ROBINSON, THE FIRST NEGRO
TO BREAK THE RACIAL BARRIER

IN THE MAJOR LEAGUES.

LAWRENCE SPIVAK: MR. ROBINSON,

HOW DO YOU--HOW DO YOU ANSWER
THOSE PEOPLE

WHO INSIST THAT THE NAACP
IS MOVING VERY, VERY FAST

TO GET THE RIGHTS OF THE NEGRO?

JACKIE: WELL, WHEN THEY SAY THAT
THE NAACP IS MOVING TOO FAST,

UH, "TAKE YOUR TIME,
BE PATIENT,"

THE NEGRO HAS PROVEN
BEYOND A DOUBT

THAT WE HAVE BEEN
MORE THAN PATIENT.

AND THE CIVIL WAR
HAS BEEN OVER ABOUT 93 YEARS.

AND IF THAT ISN'T PATIENCE,
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS.

MARTY EDELMAN: HE WAS
ON TO THE NEXT PART OF HIS LIFE.

HE HAD A NEW WORLD THAT HE
WAS GONNA TAKE ON AND EMBRACE.

AND IT HAD SOME--HAD
BUSINESS AND POLITICS

AND A CHANGE IN THE WAY
HE AND RACHEL LIVED.

AND I THINK HE SAID, YOU
KNOW, "I--I'M LOOKING FORWARD...

"YOU NEVER STEAL THE BASE
THAT YOU LEFT.

YOU STEAL THE NEXT BASE."

NARRATOR: AS JACKIE ROBINSON'S
BASEBALL CAREER CAME TO AN END,

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE
ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE

HAD AWARDED HIM ITS HIGHEST
HONOR, THE SPINGARN MEDAL.

PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS
INCLUDED W.E.B. DU BOIS,

A. PHILIP RANDOLPH,
MARY McLEOD BETHUNE,

AND THURGOOD MARSHALL.

ROBINSON RAISED MONEY FOR
THE NAACP IN SCHOOLS, CHURCHES,

AND COMMUNITY AUDITORIUMS
FROM BALTIMORE TO OAKLAND,

CHALLENGING BLACKS TO FIGHT
FOR FIRST-CLASS CITIZENSHIP,

AND ENCOURAGING THEM TO VOTE.

[APPLAUSE]

IN MARCH 1957, ROBINSON BEGAN
WORKING AT CHOCK FULL O'NUTS.

COMMUTING EACH DAY
FROM STAMFORD TO MANHATTAN,

HE THREW HIMSELF INTO LEARNING
THE COMPANY'S OPERATIONS,

MASTERING WAGE SCALES
AND EMPLOYEE BENEFITS,

AND GETTING TO KNOW
THE MOSTLY BLACK WORKFORCE,

WHOSE CONCERNS
HE WAS EAGER TO ADDRESS.

[LAUGHTER]

AT HOME ON CASCADE ROAD,

JACKIE SETTLED
INTO A REGULAR FAMILY ROUTINE

FOR THE FIRST TIME.

SHARON ROBINSON: MY SPECIAL
TIME WITH MY DAD

WAS GOING INTO NEW YORK CITY.

SO I PUT ON WHITE GLOVES,
AND I WAS ALL DRESSED UP.

BUT IT WAS JUST DAD
AND I IN THAT CAR

DRIVING ALONG
THE MERRITT PARKWAY,

WHICH WAS LIKE
A ROLLER COASTER RIDE.

AND MY FATHER LOVED
THE SPEED AND THE HILLS.

AND SO IT WAS
ALL TRUE EXCITEMENT,

BUT REALLY IT WAS BECAUSE
IT WAS JUST THE TWO OF US.

NARRATOR: BUT IN NEARLY
ALL-WHITE STAMFORD,

DAVID, SHARON, AND JACKIE JR.
WERE

OFTEN THE ONLY BLACK
CHILDREN IN THEIR CLASSROOMS

AND ON THE TEAMS AND CLUBS
THEY WERE ALLOWED TO JOIN.

ON JACKIE JUNIOR'S FIRST DAY
OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL,

HE AND RACHEL HAD BEEN
MET BY ROWS OF WHITE STUDENTS

WHO POINTED AND STARED.

"OH, LOOK AT THE LITTLE COLORED
BOY," SHE HEARD ONE WHISPER.

HIS YOUNGER BROTHER DAVID
HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE.

DAVID ROBINSON: TO THINK ABOUT
MYSELF INTEGRATING FIRST GRADE,

ONE BLACK IN A SCHOOL OF 900,
THERE WAS DISCRIMINATION;

THEY LET ME IN THE SCHOOL
BUT I COULD NOT GO

TO THE--THE COUNTRY CLUBS, I
COULD NOT GO TO THE HOCKEY RINK.

THEY WOULD NOT LET ME
IN THE DANCING SCHOOL.

RACHEL ROBINSON: THE FACT
THAT HE INTEGRATED THAT CLASS

WAS NOT OUR EFFORT
TO, UH, TO FORCE EQUALITY

OR--OR CHANGE THE WORLD.

IT WAS THE NEAREST SCHOOL
TO OUR HOME,

AND IT HAD
A VERY GOOD REPUTATION

FOR EDUCATING CHILDREN.

SO DAVID JUST HAD
TO SUFFER THROUGH IT.

SHARON ROBINSON: WE DIDN'T
EVEN TALK ABOUT WHAT IT WAS LIKE

FOR US TO DESEGREGATE
OUR SCHOOLS IN CONNECTICUT.

WE WERE JUST GOING TO SCHOOL

AND THEY WERE SAYING,
"DO YOU TAKE A BATH?"

BUT WE DIDN'T TALK
ABOUT HOW THAT WAS AFFECTING US.

WE DIDN'T TALK
ABOUT THAT AT HOME

BECAUSE WHAT WAS
HAPPENING EXTERNAL WAS SO BIG.

WE WERE TALKING ABOUT
THE LITTLE ROCK NINE.

SO THERE WAS
A SORT OF SHELTERING

AND SORT OF A DENIAL ALMOST
OF--OF OUR OWN PAIN.

NARRATOR: IN 1959,

JACKIE ROBINSON AND A YOUNG
WRITER NAMED BILL BRANCH

BEGAN COLLABORATING
ON A WEEKLY COLUMN

FOR THE LIBERAL "NEW YORK POST"
UNDER ROBINSON'S BYLINE.

THE "POST'S" EDITOR ANNOUNCED
THAT THE COLUMN WOULD BE

THE FIRST ATTEMPT
AT REAL NATIONAL SYNDICATION

FOR A BLACK WRITER.

WILLIAM BRANCH: WHITES
JUST ASSUMED THAT BLACKS

HAD THE SAME PERSPECTIVES
THAT THEY HAD.

SO THE COLUMN MADE
A GREAT CONTRIBUTION

IN INFORMING WHITES,
PARTICULARLY, OF ATTITUDES

AND EVENTS, UH, AND PERSPECTIVES
FROM THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

NARRATOR: IT WAS
PUBLISHED IN THE SPORTS SECTION,

BUT ROBINSON IMMEDIATELY
BEGAN FOCUSING

ON ISSUES OUTSIDE ATHLETICS.

THE COLUMN DREW ATTENTION
TO A MISSISSIPPI LYNCHING,

CRITICIZED THE BIGOTRY
OF WHITE LONG ISLAND RESIDENTS

WHO RESISTED SCHOOL INTEGRATION,

AND ACCUSED THE RED SOX,

NOW THE ONLY BIG LEAGUE TEAM
WITHOUT A SINGLE BLACK PLAYER,

OF PREJUDICE.

AND HE PROMISED TO TAKE
A CAREFUL LOOK AT THE CANDIDATES

IN THE UPCOMING
1960 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

MAN AS JACKIE: I GUESS
YOU'D CALL ME AN INDEPENDENT.

AS A NEGRO, I'VE BEEN
WOOED BY THE DEMOCRATS

WITH THE MEMORY OF
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT

AND THE NEW DEAL...

AND CULTIVATED
BY THE REPUBLICANS

WITH THE MEMORY
OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN

AND THE CIVIL WAR.

BUT I ALWAYS DECIDE MY VOTE
BY TAKING AS CAREFUL A LOOK

AS I CAN
AT THE ACTUAL CANDIDATES

AND ISSUES THEMSELVES,

NO MATTER WHAT THE PARTY LABEL
OR THE ANCESTRAL GHOST.

MICHAEL LONG: ROBINSON'S
DREAM WAS A TWO-PARTY SYSTEM

IN WHICH AFRICAN AMERICANS
SUSPEND THEIR VOTE

UNTIL THEY CAN DETERMINE
WHICH PARTY OR WHICH CANDIDATE

IS GOING TO BEST ADVANCE
THEIR CIVIL RIGHTS AGENDA.

ROBINSON THOUGHT IT WAS
A TRAGEDY THAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS

WERE SO WILLING TO GO TO
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AS A BLOCK.

HE THOUGHT THAT THEY LOST
LEVERAGE WHEN THEY DID THAT.

I KNOW THAT IT ISN'T
JUST A SOUTHERN PROBLEM.

I KNOW THAT IT'S
A NORTHERN PROBLEM

AND A WESTERN PROBLEM
AND AN EASTERN PROBLEM

AND THAT ALL OF US HAVE GOT
TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM

BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT...

NARRATOR:
VICE PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON

WAS THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE.

ROBINSON AND NIXON
HAD BEEN FREQUENT CORRESPONDENTS

SINCE THEIR FIRST MEETING
IN 1952.

"I HAVE DEVELOPED
A DEEP SENSE OF APPRECIATION

"FOR YOUR CONSTANT EFFORTS
TO PROVIDE A GREATER MEASURE

OF JUSTICE FOR NEGRO AMERICANS,"
WROTE JACKIE.

"YOUR EXPRESSION OF
APPROVAL," NIXON WROTE BACK,

"WILL BE A CONSTANT SOURCE
OF STRENGTH AND ENCOURAGEMENT

TO ME."

LONG: NIXON DID NOT HAVE
A GOOD RECORD ON CIVIL RIGHTS.

BUT ROBINSON BELIEVED THAT
NIXON HAD ACTUALLY DEVELOPED,

HAD EVOLVED
ON THE ISSUE OF CIVIL RIGHTS.

MAN AS ROBINSON: NIXON SEEMS
VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE NEED

FOR USING THE INFLUENCE
AND PRESTIGE OF THE PRESIDENCY

TO ADVANCE EQUAL RIGHTS.

I FEEL HE HAS AS GOOD A CHANCE
AS ANY OF THE CURRENT CANDIDATES

TO WOO AND WIN
A GREAT MANY NEGRO VOTES.

NARRATOR:
ROBINSON WAS OPENLY SKEPTICAL

OF THE DEMOCRATIC FRONTRUNNER,

MASSACHUSETTS
SENATOR JOHN F. KENNEDY,

WHOSE STANCE ON CIVIL RIGHTS
HAD BECOME INCREASINGLY CAUTIOUS

AS HIS POLITICAL AMBITIONS GREW.

"THIS COUNTRY CANNOT AFFORD
TO HAVE ANOTHER PRESIDENT,"

ROBINSON WROTE, "WHO LACKS
THE COURAGE TO FACE SQUARELY

THE BURNING ISSUE
OF OUR TIMES: THE COLOR LINE."

BELAFONTE: JOHN F. KENNEDY
DIDN'T QUITE GET

THE ROLE THAT
THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

WOULD PLAY AT THAT TIME.

HE DIDN'T TAKE THE CIVIL RIGHTS
MOVEMENT AS SOMETHING SERIOUS.

HE DIDN'T SEE IT
AS A GAME CHANGER.

TOM BROKAW: KENNEDY WORRIED
ABOUT THE POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES

FOR HIM BECAUSE
HE WANTED TO CARRY THE SOUTH,

AND HE WORRIED IF HE GOT

TOO FAR OUT IN FRONT
OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT,

HE WOULD LOSE A LOT
OF SOUTHERN SUPPORT.

LONG: KENNEDY HAD AGREED TO MEET

WITH THE SEGREGATIONIST GOVERNOR
OF ALABAMA, JOHN PATTERSON.

AFTER THAT PRIVATE MEETING,

GOVERNOR PATTERSON
COMES OUT AND ANNOUNCES

THAT JOHN F. KENNEDY,
HE BELIEVES

IS A FRIEND OF THE SOUTH.

NARRATOR:
ROBINSON WAS SO OFFENDED

THAT HE REFUSED TO
POSE FOR A PICTURE WITH KENNEDY

AT A DINNER IN NEW YORK.

AND WHEN KENNEDY CHOSE
TEXAS SENATOR LYNDON JOHNSON

AS HIS RUNNING MATE,
JACKIE DISMISSED THE SELECTION

AS "A BID," HE SAID,

"FOR THE APPEASEMENT
OF SOUTHERN BIGOTS."

BRANCH: THE KENNEDYS WERE
SO UPSET BY JACKIE'S COMMENTS,

UH, IN THE "POST," THEY
ARRANGED A FACE-TO-FACE MEETING.

LONG: ROBINSON SAYS, "DURING
THIS MEETING, SENATOR KENNEDY

NEVER LOOKED ME IN THE EYE."

KAHN: KENNEDY SAID,
"MR. ROBINSON,

BEING FROM MASSACHUSETTS, I
HAVEN'T KNOWN TOO MANY NEGROES."

AND JACK SAID, "I THOUGHT,
IF YOU'RE IN CONGRESS,

YOU DAMN WELL BETTER MAKE IT
YOUR BUSINESS TO KNOW NEGROES."

NARRATOR: IN SEPTEMBER,
ROBINSON TOOK A LEAVE OF ABSENCE

FROM CHOCK FULL O'NUTS
TO CAMPAIGN FULL-TIME

FOR RICHARD NIXON.

THE "POST" IMMEDIATELY
SUSPENDED HIS COLUMN.

BELAFONTE: HE JUST DECIDED,
"I'M FOR NIXON."

AND THAT SENT A SHOCK OF HORROR
THROUGH THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

RACHEL ROBINSON: I WAS
OPPOSED TO HIS SUPPORTING NIXON

OR ANY REPUBLICAN.

I CAME FROM A FAMILY
OF TWO GENERATIONS

OF STAUNCH DEMOCRATS,
AND WE COULDN'T SEE

HOW HE COULD EVER GIVE
ANYTHING TO THE REPUBLICANS.

HOWEVER, HE WAS HIS OWN MAN,

AND HE DECIDED THAT
THAT'S WHAT HE WANTED TO DO.

NARRATOR:
ROBINSON TRAVELED THE COUNTRY,

PRAISING NIXON
AND CRITICIZING KENNEDY.

BUT IT FRUSTRATED HIM THAT NIXON
WOULD NOT CAMPAIGN IN HARLEM.

THEN JUST TWO WEEKS
BEFORE ELECTION DAY,

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. WAS
ARRESTED IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA,

FOR TAKING PART
IN A LUNCH COUNTER SIT-IN.

HE WAS DENIED BAIL

AND SENTENCED TO SERVE
4 MONTHS ON A CHAIN GANG.

[GAVEL POUNDS]

KING'S WIFE
CORETTA WAS SURE HE'D BE KILLED.

BELAFONTE: DR. KING
ON A CHAIN GANG IN THE SOUTH WAS

TO MAKE HIM VULNERABLE
TO ALL SORTS OF VIOLENCE.

AT ALL COSTS, HE HAD TO
BE REMOVED FROM THE CHAIN GANG.

NARRATOR:
ROBINSON CORNERED HIS CANDIDATE,

DESPERATE TO CONVINCE
NIXON TO PLACE A PHONE CALL

TO DR. KING IN PRISON

AS A SYMBOL OF
HIS SUPPORT FOR CIVIL RIGHTS.

NIXON REFUSED. IT WOULD
BE GRANDSTANDING, HE SAID.

ROBINSON WAS HEARTBROKEN.

"NIXON DOESN'T DESERVE TO WIN,"

HE SAID TO
AN AIDE AS HE LEFT THE MEETING.

MEANWHILE, MEMBERS OF
JOHN F. KENNEDY'S INNER CIRCLE

PERSUADED HIM TO PLACE
A CALL TO CORETTA KING

AND EXPRESS HIS CONCERN.

THE FOLLOWING DAY,
THE CANDIDATE'S BROTHER,

ROBERT KENNEDY, CALLED THE JUDGE

AND TALKED HIM INTO RELEASING
DR. KING, PENDING APPEAL.

NATURALLY,
I'M VERY HAPPY TO KNOW

OF SENATOR KENNEDY'S CONCERN

AND, UH, ALL THAT HE DID
TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE.

NARRATOR: WORD OF
THE KENNEDY FAMILY'S ACTIONS

SPREAD QUICKLY
IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

DR. KING HIMSELF
DID NOT BACK ANY CANDIDATE,

BUT HIS FATHER, THE REVEREND
MARTIN LUTHER KING SR.,

WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY
ENDORSED NIXON,

CHANGED ALLEGIANCES.

"BECAUSE THIS MAN
WAS WILLING TO WIPE THE TEARS

FROM MY DAUGHTER-IN-LAW'S
EYES," HE SAID,

"I'VE GOT A SUITCASE
FULL OF VOTES,

"AND I'M GOING TO
TAKE THEM TO MR. KENNEDY

AND DUMP THEM IN HIS LAP."

[CHEERING]

ON NOVEMBER 8, 1960,
JOHN F. KENNEDY WON

BY JUST OVER 100,000 VOTES.

THE ELECTION, UH,
MAY HAVE BEEN A CLOSE ONE,

BUT I THINK THAT THERE
IS GENERAL AGREEMENT

BY ALL OF OUR CITIZENS
THAT A SUPREME NATIONAL EFFORT

WILL BE NEEDED
IN THE YEARS AHEAD

TO MOVE THIS COUNTRY
SAFELY THROUGH THE 1960S.

[APPLAUSE]

NARRATOR: ROBINSON
RETURNED TO HIS POSITION

AT CHOCK FULL O'NUTS,

BUT THE "NEW YORK POST"
DECLINED TO RESUME HIS COLUMN.

HE WAS SURE THAT HIS
SUPPORT FOR NIXON WAS TO BLAME.

THAT SAME YEAR, EBBETS FIELD,

THE HOME OF THE BROOKLYN DODGERS
SINCE 1913, WAS DEMOLISHED.

OWNER WALTER O'MALLEY
HAD HOPED TO REPLACE THE SMALL,

BELOVED BALLPARK
WITH A STATE-OF-THE-ART STADIUM

IN BROOKLYN WITH
AMPLE PARKING FOR THE WHITE FANS

WHO WERE INCREASINGLY
MOVING TO THE SUBURBS,

BUT THE CITY HAD REFUSED TO
HELP HIM ACQUIRE THE LAND.

BEFORE THE 1958 SEASON,

O'MALLEY HAD MOVED THE BROOKLYN
DODGERS TO LOS ANGELES.

RACHEL ROBINSON: JACK AND I
DID HAVE A VERY SPECIAL BOND.

AND IT LASTED
THROUGHOUT OUR LIVES.

IT GOT TESTED FROM TIME TO TIME

BY EXTERNAL THINGS
AND THINGS BETWEEN US.

HE WAS SO ACCUSTOMED TO
HAVING ME WITH HIM EVERYWHERE.

I EVEN RODE IN HIS
GOLF CARTS WHILE HE PLAYED GOLF.

SO WHEN I SAID I WANTED
TO GO TO WORK

AND I WANTED TO DEVELOP
A PROFESSIONAL SIDE OF MYSELF,

HE WAS OPPOSED TO IT
AND SAID SO,

AND SAID IT
IN LOVING TERMS LIKE, YOU KNOW,

"I'LL MISS YOU AND I
CAN'T DO THIS" AND DA DA DA DA.

BUT, UH, IN FACT,
HE WAS OPPOSED TO IT.

AND WE HAD TO WORK THROUGH
THAT OVER TIME.

NARRATOR: IN THE SPRING OF 1961,

RACHEL EARNED A MASTER'S DEGREE
IN NURSING

AND GOT A JOB AT A HOSPITAL
IN THE BRONX.

"RAE HAS BEEN SO BUSY LATELY,

WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO MANY
OF THE THINGS WE LIKE DOING,"

JACKIE COMPLAINED TO A FRIEND.

"BUT SHE IS SO WRAPPED UP IN HER
WORK, SHE DOESN'T MIND AT ALL."

WITH BOTH RACHEL AND JACKIE
NOW WORKING OUTSIDE THE HOME,

THE ROBINSONS ENLISTED
RACHEL'S MOTHER ZELLEE

TO HELP WITH THE KIDS.

DAVID HAD FORGED
CLOSE FRIENDSHIPS

WITH HIS WHITE CLASSMATES,

AND HE DISPLAYED
A STRONG, INDEPENDENT STREAK,

LIKE HIS FATHER.

SHARON, A DILIGENT STUDENT,

JOINED THE GIRL SCOUTS
AND TOOK BALLET CLASSES.

BUT JACKIE JR., THE ELDEST,
WAS DIFFERENT--

INCREASINGLY WITHDRAWN,

RESENTFUL OF THE CONSTANT
PRESSURE TO BE LIKE HIS FATHER.

SHARON ROBINSON:
HE WAS NAMED JACKIE ROBINSON JR.

THERE WAS NO PLACE
FOR HIM TO HIDE.

YOU KNOW,
HE COULDN'T BE HIMSELF.

RACHEL ROBINSON: HE WASN'T
PERFORMING ACADEMICALLY.

HE BEGAN TO ASSOCIATE WITH
CHILDREN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

THAT WERE NOT DOING GOOD THINGS.

AND WE DIDN'T KNOW EXACTLY
WHAT TO DO FOR HIM OR WITH HIM.

SHARON ROBINSON:
I ADORED MY OLDER BROTHER,

BUT HE WAS ALWAYS
CREATING CHAOS IN THE HOUSE.

AND THAT SORT OF CARRIED ON
AND BECAME MORE CHAOTIC

THE OLDER HE GOT.

NARRATOR:
SENT AWAY TO BOARDING SCHOOL,

HE WAS SUSPENDED
FOR POOR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

AND GETTING INTO FIGHTS.

RACHEL ROBINSON:
JACK WOULD DISTANCE HIMSELF

FROM JACKIE JR. AT TIMES

BECAUSE HE FELT THAT JACKIE
WASN'T AS LOVING TOWARD HIM

OR HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW
TO HANDLE JACKIE'S BEHAVIOR.

SO HE WOULD MOVE
HIMSELF OUT OF THE PICTURE.

AND THAT WAS UNFORTUNATE
FOR BOTH OF THEM.

MAN AS JACKIE SENIOR:
DEAR JACKIE,

I KNOW YOU SOMETIMES
WONDER ABOUT ME,

AND I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND
THAT I LOVE YOU, SHARON,

AND DAVID VERY MUCH.

AT TIMES I MAY SEEM
TO GET AWFULLY ANGRY AT YOU,

BUT I HOPE YOU ARE
NEVER AFRAID OF ME.

I'M ALREADY PROUD OF YOU.
WILL YOU MAKE ME MORE PROUD?

PLEASE TRY, JACKIE.

NARRATOR: ON JULY 23, 1962,

IN THE TINY VILLAGE
OF COOPERSTOWN, NEW YORK,

5,000 PEOPLE CAME OUT
TO SEE JACK ROOSEVELT ROBINSON,

THE GRANDSON OF SLAVES,
INDUCTED INTO THE HALL OF FAME.

OVER THE YEARS, ROBINSON
HAD HAD HIS DIFFERENCES

WITH MANY OF THE WRITERS

WHOSE VOTES DETERMINED
ADMISSION INTO THE HALL.

BUT NOW, IN AN UNEXPECTED
SHOW OF APPRECIATION,

THEY HAD CHOSEN HIM IN
HIS FIRST YEAR OF ELIGIBILITY.

[APPLAUSE]

JACKIE: I ONLY HOPE
THAT I'LL BE ABLE TO LIVE UP

TO THIS TREMENDOUSLY FINE HONOR.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT
I THINK THOSE OF US WHO ARE

FORTUNATE, AGAIN, MUST
USE IN ORDER TO HELP OTHERS.

I APPRECIATE IT SO MUCH.
THANK YOU.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

BRYANT: WHAT HE DID
WAS DONE UNDER THE WEIGHT

OF BEING THE FIRST
AFRICAN AMERICAN PLAYER,

YET HIS HALL OF FAME PLAQUE
DID NOT MENTION AT ALL

THAT HE WAS THE FIRST
AFRICAN AMERICAN TO PLAY

IN THE MAJOR LEAGUES.

JACKIE ROBINSON'S
ABILITY TO PLAY BASEBALL

AT A HALL OF FAME LEVEL

IS COMPLETELY LEGITIMATE

AND 100% TRUE.

HOWEVER, HIS VALUE WAS THAT
HE CHANGED THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.

HE WASN'T JUST
A REALLY GOOD SECOND BASEMAN.

HE WAS A GUY
WHO TOOK ON EVERYTHING

THAT WE WERE AFRAID TO FACE
AND FACED IT AND SUCCEEDED.

WE SHOULD ALL BE VERY,
VERY GRATEFUL.

RACHEL ROBINSON:
BASEBALL WAS A BRIDGE

TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
FOR HIM.

IF HE HADN'T BEEN
ACKNOWLEDGED BY A LOT OF PEOPLE

AND GOTTEN A LOT OF PUBLICITY,

HE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD
A CHANCE TO MOVE TOWARD DR. KING

AND OTHERS

SO THAT HE COULD ASSIST
THEM IN WHAT THEY WERE DOING.

LONG: KING RECOGNIZED THAT
ROBINSON WAS A NATIONAL SYMBOL

NOT ONLY FOR HIS COURAGE
BUT ALSO FOR HIS SUCCESS.

AND SO HE TAPPED
INTO ROBINSON'S CELEBRITY STATUS

AND INVITED ROBINSON,
UH, TO COME JOIN HIM

AT VARIOUS POINTS
IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

NARRATOR: IN SEPTEMBER OF 1962,
AT MARTIN LUTHER KING'S REQUEST,

ROBINSON
TRAVELED TO ALBANY, GEORGIA.

THE CITY JAIL WAS FILLED
WITH ACTIVISTS

WHO HAD FOR NEARLY A YEAR
BEEN USING NON-VIOLENT TACTICS

TO CHALLENGE SEGREGATION,

STAGING SIT-INS AND TRYING
TO REGISTER BLACK VOTERS.

WILLIAM ANDERSON:
WE ARE MARCHING FOR FREEDOM,

AND GOD IS ON OUR SIDE!

[CHEERING]

FREEDOM! FREEDOM! FREEDOM!

AND WE WILL NOT STOP.

[CHANTS OF "FREEDOM!" CONTINUE]

ANDERSON, VOICE-OVER: WE GOT
SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE IN JAIL.

[SIRENS]

THE PEOPLE THEMSELVES,
THEY GOT WEARY.

SOME OF THEM HAD STAYED
IN JAIL FOR WEEKS.

[CHEERING]

WHEN HE CAME TO TOWN,

IT SAID IF HE CARED
THAT MUCH ABOUT US,

WE CAN CARE
NO LESS ABOUT OURSELVES.

AND THAT JUST MEANT
WE CAN DO MUCH MORE.

THEY ALL HAD HEARD
OF JACKIE ROBINSON

BUT NEVER HAD SEEN
JACKIE ROBINSON.

TO MANY OF THEM,
HE WAS BIGGER THAN LIFE.

NARRATOR: AFTER SPEAKING
TO A FULL HOUSE

AT A CHURCH IN ALBANY,

ROBINSON WAS DRIVEN
TO NEARBY SASSER, GEORGIA,

WHERE ARSONISTS HAD DESTROYED
THE MOUNT OLIVE BAPTIST CHURCH.

MAN AS JACKIE: IN THE BACKWOODS
COMMUNITY OF SASSER, GEORGIA,

I STOOD BEFORE
THE SMOLDERING RUINS

OF WHAT HAD ONCE BEEN
THE MOUNT OLIVE BAPTIST CHURCH.

I WATCHED A STRONG MAN,
THE REVEREND F.S. SWAGGOT, WEEP

AS THOUGH HIS HEART WOULD BREAK

AS HE LOOKED OUT OVER
THE WRECKAGE OF THE INSTITUTION

INTO WHICH HE AND HIS PEOPLE

HAD POURED THEIR DEVOTION
AND THEIR DREAMS.

THE NEGRO PEOPLE MUST REBUILD
THEM TO LET THE KLANS,

CITIZEN COUNCILS,
AND THE WORLD KNOW

THAT WE WILL NOT BE FRIGHTENED

AND WE WILL NOT ALLOW
OUR LEADERS TO BE INTIMIDATED.

LET'S BUILD PROUD,
NEW, GLORIOUS, TALL CHURCHES

THAT WILL RISE OUT
OF THE ASHES OF HATRED.

NARRATOR: THE NEXT BATTLEGROUND
FOR THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

WAS IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

FOR WEEKS IN THE SPRING OF 1963,

DEMONSTRATORS HAD BEEN DEMANDING

THE DESEGREGATION OF THE CITY'S
STORES AND LUNCH COUNTERS.

JACKIE: I'M QUITE CONCERNED THAT
THE PRESIDENT, IN MY OPINION,

FEELS MORE CONCERNED
ABOUT THE ELECTION NEXT YEAR

THAN HE IS ABOUT THE DIGNITY

OF 20 MILLION HUMAN BEINGS
IN THIS COUNTRY.

AND I HOPE THAT THE SERIOUSNESS
OF THIS CRISIS WILL AWAKEN HIM,

BECAUSE IF ANYTHING HAPPENS
TO DR. KING DOWN THERE, UH,

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S
LIABLE TO HAPPEN.

[SIRENS]

NARRATOR: WHEN BULL CONNOR,

BIRMINGHAM'S COMMISSIONER
OF PUBLIC SAFETY,

ORDERED THE POLICE TO USE
ATTACK DOGS AND FIRE HOSES

AGAINST PEACEFUL PROTESTERS,
INCLUDING HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN,

IMAGES OF THE VIOLENCE HORRIFIED
PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD.

[PEOPLE SINGING INDISTINCTLY]

MAN: ¶ FREEDOM,
FREEDOM, FREEDOM... ¶

NARRATOR: IN MAY, ROBINSON
TRAVELED TO BIRMINGHAM

TO SEE THINGS FOR HIMSELF.

[CHEERING]

JACKIE: MY 3 CHILDREN WANTED
TO COME DOWN HERE WITH ME,

BECAUSE THEY HAD SEEN
YOUR CHILDREN GOING TO JAIL

FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN.

[APPLAUSE]

AND, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES
A LITTLE MAN LIKE BULL CONNOR

TO DO THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT
HE HAS DONE TO PEOPLE DOWN HERE.

AND THE AMAZING THING
TO ME ABOUT ALL OF THIS IS

THAT WHITE AMERICANS
ARE ALLOWING

A BULL CONNOR
TO BE THEIR SPOKESMAN.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

NARRATOR: SOUTHERN NEWSPAPERS
AND SOME NORTHERN ONES, AS WELL,

NOW ACCUSED ROBINSON
OF BEING AN OUTSIDE AGITATOR.

HE WAS UNDETERRED.

"WHENEVER AND WHEREVER
IN THE SOUTH THE LEADERS BELIEVE

I CAN HELP JUST THE TINIEST
BIT," HE SAID, "I INTEND TO GO."

[APPLAUSE]

THAT JUNE, 500 SUPPORTERS
SETTLED IN ON THE SLOPING LAWN

BEHIND THE HOUSE ON CASCADE ROAD

TO HEAR AN ALL-STAR LINEUP
OF SINGERS AND MUSICIANS.

JACKIE: FIRST OF ALL,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

LET ME ON BEHALF
OF MY WIFE AND FAMILY

WELCOME YOU HERE THIS AFTERNOON.

EVERY PENNY THAT COMES IN
WILL GO

TO THE FIGHT FOR FREEDOM
DOWN IN THE SOUTH.

NARRATOR: ROBINSON
HAD COME BACK FROM ALABAMA

DETERMINED TO RAISE AS
MUCH BAIL MONEY FOR PROTESTERS

IN BIRMINGHAM AS HE COULD.

DIZZY GILLESPIE, DAVE BRUBECK,

JOYA SHERILL,

BILLY TAYLOR--

"ENOUGH TALENT,"
WROTE "LIFE" MAGAZINE,

"TO STOCK
A NEWPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL."

THEY ALL PLAYED FOR FREE.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

BROADCASTER:
FREEDOM NOW MOVEMENT, HEAR ME.

WE ARE REQUESTING ALL CITIZENS
TO MOVE INTO WASHINGTON,

TO GO BY PLANE, BY CAR, BUS.

WE ARE PUSHING FOR JOBS,
HOUSING, DESEGREGATED SCHOOLS.

PLEASE JOIN.

GO TO WASHINGTON.

NARRATOR:
ON AUGUST 28, 1963,

THE ROBINSON FAMILY JOINED

MORE THAN A QUARTER OF A MILLION
AMERICANS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,

IN A PEACEFUL SHOW OF HOPE
AND RACIAL UNITY.

RAY CHARLES:
¶ WELL, I KNOW ¶

BACKUP SINGERS:
¶ YES, INDEED ¶

¶ IF IT HITS YOU ¶

¶ YES, INDEED ¶

¶ YOU'LL SAY ¶

¶ YES, INDEED... ¶

¶ WHOA, YES, YOU WILL, NOW ¶

¶ I WANT TO TELL YOU ¶

¶ YES, INDEED ¶

¶ IT'S GONNA GET YOU... ¶

¶ YES, INDEED... ¶

¶ YES, INDEED... ¶

DAVID ROBINSON:
I WAS 11 YEARS OLD.

FOR AN 11-YEAR-OLD KID,
UH, IN THE HEART OF IT

WITH HIS FATHER'S ARM,
YOU KNOW, OVER HIS SHOULDER

AS THE PROTECTOR AND LEADER
INTO THIS WORLD.

SINGERS:
¶ YES, INDEED... ¶

IT WAS A FANTASTIC DAY
FOR MYSELF PERSONALLY

AND I THINK FOR US
AS A NATION, US AS A RACE.

SHARON ROBINSON: I REMEMBER
THE FEEL OF, YOU KNOW,

BEING IN A WAVE
AND BEING PART OF A--

SOMETHING BIGGER
THAN YOURSELF.

AND THAT'S A VERY GREAT FEELING.

MARCHER: NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW...

CHARLES: ¶ CLAP YOUR HANDS ¶

¶ KNOW YOU'LL SAY, OH... ¶

SINGERS:
¶ CLAP, CLAP... ¶

¶ WHO-OA ¶

¶ YES, INDEED ¶

¶ YES,
INDEED ¶

MARTIN LUTHER KING:
WE REFUSE TO BELIEVE

THAT THE BANK OF JUSTICE
IS BANKRUPT.

WE REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT
THERE ARE INSUFFICIENT FUNDS

IN THE GREAT VAULTS
OF OPPORTUNITY OF THIS NATION.

[APPLAUSE]

NO, WE ARE NOT SATISFIED,

AND WE WILL NOT BE SATISFIED

UNTIL JUSTICE ROLLS DOWN
LIKE WATERS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS

LIKE A MIGHTY STREAM.

MARCHERS: ¶ WE'LL WALK
HAND IN HAND, WE... ¶

NARRATOR:
"I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO PROUD

TO BE A NEGRO," ROBINSON WROTE.

"I HAVE NEVER BEEN
SO PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN."

MARCHERS: ¶ OH, TODA-A-AY ¶

¶ OH, DEEP IN MY HEART... ¶

YOHURU WILLIAMS: THE MARCH ON
WASHINGTON IS A WATERSHED MOMENT

IN THE MOVEMENT ITSELF.

BUT THIS WAS ALSO A TURNING
POINT IN TERMS OF THE VIOLENCE

THAT WE ASSOCIATE
WITH THE MOVEMENT.

AND THE ESCALATION
OF OPPOSITION...

BECAUSE THE FEAR IS THAT
A CIVIL RIGHTS BILL IS COMING.

IT'S ONLY A MONTH
LATER THAT YOU HAVE THE BOMBING

OF THE 16th STREET BAPTIST
CHURCH IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA,

AND THE KILLING OF
FOUR LITTLE GIRLS.

MALCOLM X: HOW CAN YOU JUSTIFY
BEING NON-VIOLENT IN MISSISSIPPI

AND ALABAMA WHEN
YOUR CHURCHES ARE BEING BOMBED

AND YOUR LITTLE GIRLS
ARE BEING MURDERED?

AND AT THE SAME TIME...

NARRATOR: AFTER THE CHURCH
BOMBING IN BIRMINGHAM,

JACKIE ROBINSON HELPED
ORGANIZE A RALLY

IN FRONT OF THE HOTEL THERESA
ON 125th STREET IN HARLEM.

THE FIRST SPEAKER
WAS A CHARISMATIC MINISTER

FROM THE NATION OF ISLAM

WHO HAD DEVELOPED
A DEVOTED FOLLOWING

BY CONDEMNING
NON-VIOLENT MEASURES

AND PREACHING
INDEPENDENCE FROM WHITES.

HIS NAME WAS MALCOLM X.

AS A 21-YEAR-OLD SERVING
TIME IN A MASSACHUSETTS PRISON

FOR BURGLARY, MALCOLM LITTLE
HAD FOLLOWED EACH AT-BAT

OF JACKIE'S ROOKIE SEASON.

ROBINSON, HE REMEMBERED, "HAD
HIS MOST FANATIC FAN IN ME."

WHEN JACKIE RETURNED TO THE
STAGE TO END THE HARLEM RALLY,

THE CROWD HAD BEGUN
CHANTING, "WE WANT MALCOLM!"

SOON, THEY HAD GROWN
MORE BOISTEROUS,

DROWNING OUT ROBINSON.

MALCOLM X HAD BEEN WATCHING

FROM IN FRONT OF A NEARBY
CHOCK FULL O'NUTS COFFEE SHOP.

HE CLIMBED UP
ON THE PLATFORM AGAIN

AND ENCOURAGED EVERYONE
TO GO HOME.

THE CROWD DISPERSED.

JOHN F. KENNEDY HAD
ONCE OFFERED ONLY TEPID SUPPORT

FOR CIVIL RIGHTS,
BUT THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

HAD MOTIVATED HIM TO ACT,

AND IN THE LAST MONTHS
OF HIS LIFE,

HE HAD PUSHED FOR
A SWEEPING CIVIL RIGHTS BILL.

LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON:
NO MEMORIAL, ORATION, OR EULOGY

COULD MORE ELOQUENTLY
HONOR PRESIDENT KENNEDY'S MEMORY

THAN THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE
PASSAGE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS BILL

FOR WHICH HE FOUGHT SO LONG.

[APPLAUSE]

JOHNSON'S ENDORSEMENT
OF THAT BILL,

WARNED A PROMINENT
GEORGIA DEMOCRAT,

WOULD COST THEIR PARTY
THE SOUTH FOREVER.

MAN AS JACKIE: REPUBLICANS,
SHREWDLY VIEWING THE DISCOMFORT

OVER THE ADMINISTRATION'S
CIVIL RIGHTS STANCE,

ARE WEIGHING
THE DELICATE QUESTION

OF HOW TO CAPITALIZE
ON THIS RESENTMENT.

THEY WANT THE G.O.P.

TO BECOME THE WHITE MAN'S PARTY.

[CHEERING]

OUR AIM IS TO PRESERVE
A FREE SOCIETY.

[CHEERING]

[MUSIC PLAYING ON SOUNDTRACK]

NARRATOR: AS THE 1964

PRESIDENTIAL
CONVENTIONS APPROACHED,

ARIZONA SENATOR BARRY GOLDWATER,

THE CANDIDATE OF
THE MOST CONSERVATIVE WING

OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, QUICKLY
BECAME THE GOP FRONTRUNNER.

SINGERS: ¶ GO, GOLDWATER ¶

¶ LET'S GO, GOLDWATER ¶

¶ LET'S GO
FOR HONEST LEADERSHIP... ¶

BROKAW: BARRY GOLDWATER,
"IN YOUR HEART,

YOU KNOW HE'S RIGHT."

THAT WAS THE MOTTO.

HE WAS A VERY CONSERVATIVE GUY.

HE WAS THE FIRST OF
THE MODERN CONSERVATIVE HEROES

THAT PLAYED TO OUTSIDE
OF HIS CONSTITUENCY.

HE GREW UP IN THE SOUTHWEST.

HE HAD THAT KIND OF
A FRONTIER MENTALITY ABOUT,

YOU, UH,

"YOU GET WHAT YOU EARN AND
YOU...TAKE WHAT YOU GET."

NARRATOR: "WE'RE NOT GOING
TO GET THE NEGRO VOTE

IN 1964 OR 1968," GOLDWATER
HAD TOLD SOUTHERN PARTY LEADERS.

"LET'S GO HUNTING
WHERE THE DUCKS ARE."

"THE LILY-WHITE LEADERS
OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY

ARE EXHIBITING A GENIUS
FOR MISREADING CURRENT EVENTS,"

ROBINSON WARNED CONSERVATIVES.

THERE'S NO WAY
TO "WIN A NATIONAL ELECTION,"

HE SAID,
"WITHOUT THE NEGRO VOTE."

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

HE ENCOURAGED
REPUBLICANS TO LINE UP

BEHIND NEW YORK GOVERNOR
NELSON A. ROCKEFELLER.

AND IN FEBRUARY OF 1964, HE
JOINED ROCKEFELLER'S CAMPAIGN.

ROBINSON SPOKE
ON THE GOVERNOR'S BEHALF

TO BLACK AUDIENCES
ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

"THIS IS A STRUGGLE," HE
TOLD ONE AUDIENCE IN MINNESOTA,

"TO REGAIN THE SOUL OF AMERICA."

MEANWHILE, ON JULY 2nd,
PRESIDENT JOHNSON SIGNED

THE LANDMARK
CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964.

AT LEAST IN LAW, IT PROHIBITED
DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE.

A MAJORITY OF REPUBLICANS
AND DEMOCRATS HAD VOTED FOR IT.

BARRY GOLDWATER HAD NOT.

GEORGE WILL:
HE VOTED AGAINST THAT,

AND AT THAT POINT
THERE IS A DRAMATIC,

PROBABLY IRREPARABLE
RUPTURE IN THE RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN AFRICAN AMERICANS
AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

NARRATOR: ROCKEFELLER'S
CAMPAIGN NEVER CAUGHT FIRE.

BY THE TIME THE REPUBLICANS
CONVENED IN SAN FRANCISCO,

THE NOMINATION WAS GOLDWATER'S.

[MARCHERS CHANTING]

ROBINSON WAS
ONE OF MORE THAN 30,000 PEOPLE

WHO MARCHED THROUGH THE CITY

TO PROTEST THE NEW EXTREMISM
OF THE PARTY OF LINCOLN.

[MARCHERS SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

I WANT EVERYBODY
TO UNDERSTAND ONE THING,

I AM AN AMERICAN NEGRO FIRST

BEFORE I AM A MEMBER
OF ANY PARTY.

[CHEERING]

THERE ARE HUNDREDS
OF THOUSANDS OF NEGROES WHO FEEL

THIS VERY SAME WAY.

AND WE WILL NOT STAND
SILENTLY FOR ANY MAJOR PARTY

NOMINATING A MAN
WHO IN MY OPINION IS A BIGOT

AND A MAN WHO WILL ATTEMPT TO
PREVENT US FROM MOVING FORWARD.

[CHEERING]

NARRATOR: OF THE 1,308 DELEGATES
WHO WOULD DECIDE THE NOMINATION,

ONLY 15 WERE BLACK.

THEY WERE
THREATENED, VERBALLY ABUSED,

A FEW DETAINED BY SECURITY.

GEORGE LEE OF TENNESSEE,

A DELEGATE TO EVERY REPUBLICAN
CONVENTION SINCE 1940,

HAD HIS CREDENTIALS REVOKED.

WILLIAM YOUNG OF PENNSYLVANIA,
A FORMER CATCHER

FOR THE HOMESTEAD GRAYS
OF THE NEGRO LEAGUES,

HAD CIGARETTE BUTTS
PUT OUT ON HIS SUIT JACKET

BY GOLDWATER SUPPORTERS.

THEY ENCOURAGE DISUNITY...

NARRATOR:
DURING A SPEECH BY ROCKEFELLER,

AN ANGRY DELEGATE FROM ALABAMA
ROSE TO CONFRONT ROBINSON,

WHO WAS CHEERING ON
THE GOVERNOR.

THE DELEGATE'S WIFE
RESTRAINED HER HUSBAND.

"TURN HIM LOOSE, LADY,"
JACKIE SHOUTED.

"TURN HIM LOOSE."

SHE DIDN'T.

JACKIE: I SINCERELY HOPE
THAT IF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY

DOES NOMINATE BARRY GOLDWATER
THAT WE START FROM THIS MARCH,

IN THE PULPITS, ENCOURAGING,
INSPIRING AS MANY OF OUR PEOPLE

WHO HAVE NOT REGISTERED
TO GO DOWN AND VOTE

SO THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO TURN
OVER TO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY

THE GREATEST VOTE
IN THE HISTORY OF THIS NATION.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

NARRATOR: BARRY GOLDWATER WAS
NOMINATED ON THE FIRST BALLOT.

ON NOVEMBER 3, 1964,

LYNDON JOHNSON
WAS ELECTED IN A LANDSLIDE.

HE HAD WON WITH 94%
OF THE BLACK VOTE

INCLUDING JACKIE ROBINSON'S.

MALCOLM X: THE BLACK PEOPLE
IN THIS COUNTRY HAVE BEEN

THE VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE
AT THE HANDS OF THE WHITE MAN

FOR 400 YEARS.

AND FOLLOWING THE IGNORANT--
UH, NEGRO PREACHERS,

WE HAVE THOUGHT THAT IT WAS
GODLIKE TO TURN THE OTHER CHEEK

TO THE BRUTE THAT
WAS BRUTALIZING US...

RACHEL ROBINSON: JACK
OPPOSED ANY FORM OF VIOLENCE.

EVEN THE RHETORIC THAT
GOES WITH VIOLENCE HE OPPOSED.

SO IT WAS HARD FOR HIM
TO SUPPORT MALCOLM X

WHEN HE WAS SAYING,
"BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY"

BECAUSE THAT MEANT TO YOUNG
PEOPLE, DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.

AND JACK WAS AFRAID OF THAT.

HE THOUGHT THE MILITANCY
WOULD LEAD TO DISASTER.

NARRATOR: WRITING NOW
FOR HARLEM'S "AMSTERDAM NEWS,"

ROBINSON DENOUNCED MALCOLM X
AS "A MAN WITHOUT A PLAN,"

AND ACCUSED HIM OF BEING

"MILITANT
ON HARLEM STREET CORNERS

WHERE MILITANCY
IS NOT DANGEROUS."

LONG: MALCOLM X WRITES A FIERY
LETTER TO JACKIE ROBINSON

IN WHICH HE SAYS,

"YOU ARE SUBSERVIENT
TO YOUR WHITE BENEFACTORS.

"YOU WERE SUBSERVIENT TO
BRANCH RICKEY.

"AND NOW YOU'RE SUBSERVIENT
TO NELSON ROCKEFELLER.

YOU HAVE LOST TOUCH
WITH THE BLACK MASSES."

[VEHICLE HORNS HONKING]

SHARON ROBINSON: MY FATHER
SAID THE BALLOT AND THE BUCK

ARE THE WAYS TO IMPROVE
LIFE FOR BLACK PEOPLE.

WE HAD FOUGHT TO GET
THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

BUT THAT WAS
ONLY THE FIRST STEP.

HE FELT THE NEXT MOVEMENT HAD
TO BE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

AND THAT WAS GONNA BE CRITICAL
TO OUR ADVANCEMENT AS A PEOPLE.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

LONG: MALCOLM X SAID,
"LOOK, I DON'T WANT TO SIT

"JUST AT THE COUNTER.

"I WANT TO OWN THE SAUCER,
I WANT TO OWN THE CUP,

I WANT TO OWN THE RESTAURANT."

AND ROBINSON LIKED TO QUOTE
THAT IN HIS SPEECHES.

NARRATOR: IN 1964,
ROBINSON HELPED FOUND

FREEDOM NATIONAL BANK,

A PRIMARILY BLACK OWNED
AND OPERATED INSTITUTION

THAT WOULD SERVE THE PEOPLE
OF HARLEM WHO FOR YEARS

HAD STRUGGLED TO GET HOME
MORTGAGES AND BUSINESS LOANS.

BILL RYAN:
THE STEREOTYPE OF THE NEGRO

AS A BAD CREDIT RISK PERSISTED.

FREEDOM NATIONAL
HAS ALREADY DISPROVED THIS MYTH.

NARRATOR: SOON, THE BANK
OPENED A SECOND BRANCH

IN THE BEDFORD-STUYVESANT
SECTION OF BROOKLYN.

REPORTER: WORLD KNOWN
SPORTS FIGURE

AND NOW SOMEWHAT OF
A POLITICAL LUMINARY,

YOU'RE ALSO QUITE
A BUSINESSMAN.

WELL, I HAD NATURAL
BASEBALL TALENTS.

I DON'T HAVE
NATURAL BUSINESS TALENTS.

YOU DON'T?
YOU DON'T?

I DON'T HAVE NATURAL, NO.
I HAVE TO LEARN THIS.

I THINK THAT THIS IS
THE NEXT FRONTIER--

BUSINESS AND POLITICS.

WE'RE ONLY HOPING
THAT, UH, WE CAN GET

THE SAME KIND OF
SUPPORT HERE

AS WE DID AT EBBETS FIELD.

NARRATOR:
THREE YEARS AFTER IT OPENED,

FREEDOM NATIONAL BANK WOULD
BE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL

BLACK-RUN BANK
IN THE COUNTRY.

RACHEL ROBINSON: ONE DAY,
I WAS WALKING DOWN THE STREET

IN STAMFORD,
AND HERE COMES JACKIE JR.

I SAID, "WHERE ARE YOU GOING?"

HE SAID, "I'M GOING
TO JOIN THE ARMY."

HE SAID, "I NEED DISCIPLINE.
I NEED INSTRUCTIONS.

I NEED TO KNOW
WHERE I'M HEADED."

AND ON THAT VERY DAY, HE
WALKED IN AND JOINED THE ARMY.

AND ONE YEAR LATER,
THEY HAD HIM IN VIETNAM.

[HELICOPTER]

NARRATOR: JACKIE JR. WAS

PART OF AN EARLY WAVE
OF AMERICAN GROUND TROOPS.

[SOUND OF FLAMETHROWER]

IN A LETTER
TO HIS FATHER, HE WROTE,

"THIS IS THE MOST
MISERABLE PLACE IN THE WORLD.

I CAN'T SEE
WHY WE'RE FIGHTING FOR IT."

[SOUNDS OF GUNFIRE]

ON NOVEMBER 19, 1965,

THE DAY AFTER HE
TURNED 19, JACKIE JR.

WAS WOUNDED IN AN AMBUSH.

THE TWO MEN
STANDING BESIDE HIM WERE KILLED.

HE HAD TRIED TO SAVE ONE
OF THE MEN,

DRAGGING HIM FROM
THE BATTLEFIELD UNDER FIRE,

BUT IT WAS TOO LATE.

JACKIE JR. BEGAN
HAVING NIGHTMARES

AND USING MARIJUANA AND OPIUM.

[AIRPLANE]

BACK IN THE UNITED STATES,
HE BECAME ADDICTED TO HEROIN.

SHARON ROBINSON:
I CAN REMEMBER MYSELF STAYING UP

TILL HE WOULD COME HOME
AT NIGHT.

AND I'D BE IN MY ROOM,
IN MY BED,

BUT JUST LISTENING OUT TILL
I HEARD THE CAR COME IN,

KNOWING HE'D GOTTEN HOME SAFE.

AND THEN I'D WANNA COVER MY EARS
BECAUSE I WOULDN'T WANT HIM--

TO HEAR HIM GET
IN AN ARGUMENT WITH MY FATHER.

I JUST--JUST WANTED HIM
TO BE SAFE.

WOMEN: ¶ NO MORE
BROTHERS IN JAIL ¶

MEN: ¶ OFF THE PIGS! ¶

¶ THE PIGS ARE GONNA
GET KILLED ¶

¶ OFF THE PIGS ¶

¶ THE PIGS ARE GONNA
GET KILLED ¶

¶ OFF THE PIGS ¶

NARRATOR: AS LEGISLATION FAILED
TO PRODUCE MEANINGFUL PROGRESS,

MORE AND MORE AFRICAN AMERICANS
WERE BECOMING RADICALIZED,

REJECTING INTEGRATION
IN FAVOR OF SEPARATION.

STOKELY CARMICHAEL:
WE WANT BLACK POWER!

WE WANT
BLACK POWER...

CROWD: BLACK POWER!

BLACK POWER IS NOT
JUST A MERE SLOGAN.

IT IS REAL THAT BLACK
PEOPLE CAN COME TOGETHER

AND START DETERMINING
FOR THEIR LIVES,

HOW THEY'RE GONNA LIVE

AND CONTROLLING THEIR
ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL LIVES.

SHARON ROBINSON:
I WAS ALL EXCITED

ABOUT THE BLACK PANTHERS,

SO I BROUGHT HOME A POSTER OF
HUEY NEWTON, PUT IT ON MY WALL.

NOW HERE'S MY DEGAS RIGHT
ON THE OTHER WALL.

AND I'VE GOT HUEY ON THIS WALL.

AND I'M LAYING BACK IN MY BED.

I'M LOOKIN' AT MY GORGEOUS
HUEY NEWTON.

AND MY FATHER COMES
HOME FROM WORK.

AND HE LOOKS, SAYS--
STOPS IN MY ROOM, SAYS HELLO.

AND HE GOES,
LOOKS AT THE POSTER.

HE SAID, "NOT IN MY HOUSE.
GET THAT POSTER OFF THE WALL!"

I'M LIKE, "WHY?"

AND HE EXPLAINS TO ME THAT
THE PANTHERS ARE REVOLUTIONARIES

AND THAT'S NOT A GOOD
MOVEMENT FOR BLACK PEOPLE.

HE SAID, "THEY CANNOT FIGHT
PHYSICALLY WITH GUNS AND WIN."

YOU KNOW, "IT HAS TO BE
A DIFFERENT KIND OF A MOVEMENT."

[POLICE SHOUTING COMMANDS]

DON'T PUT--WAIT A MINUTE.
DON'T PUT THAT GUN IN MY--

DON'T PUT YOUR HAND
ON THE GUN.

[WHISTLES]

NARRATOR: IN 1967, RIOTS BROKE
OUT IN NEW YORK NEIGHBORHOODS

FROM HARLEM
TO BUFFALO'S EAST SIDE,

AS AFRICAN AMERICANS PROTESTED
AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY

AND DECADES OF BROKEN PROMISES.

ROBINSON, NOW WORKING FULL-TIME
FOR GOVERNOR ROCKEFELLER,

TRAVELED THE STATE,
LISTENING TO THE GRIEVANCES

OF FRUSTRATED BLACKS
AND URGING PATIENCE--

THE VERY THING THAT
HAD ENRAGED HIM FOR DECADES.

MAN: THE MAYOR MADE
A STATEMENT

TO THE NEWS MEDIA

THAT THERE IS NO SUCH
THING AS POLICE BRUTALITY.

JACKIE: WELL, I,
I--WELL--

AND THIS IS GOING ON, AND
OUR WOMEN ARE BEING BEATEN.

THEY CAME MARCHING
DOWN THE STREET

JUST THE WAY THE NAZI SOLDIERS
DID IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR

AND OPENED FIRE ON PEOPLE
FOR NO REASON AT ALL.

WOMAN:
IF THE BUFFALO YOUTH BOARD

AND THE CITY RECREATION
DEPARTMENT HAD DONE

THEIR JOB AND PROPERLY...

WELL, MAY I SAY ONE--

MAY I JUST SAY
ONE LAST WORD,

LADIES
AND GENTLEMEN?

EVEN THOUGH THAT IT
IS LATE,

EVEN THOUGH
IT IS LATE,

WE GUARANTEE
YOU THAT

WE'RE GONNA MOVE
FORWARD FROM RIGHT HERE.

AND I THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR BEING HERE

AND ALLOWING US TO
SPEAK TO YOU TONIGHT.

NARRATOR: AT ONE STOP,
ACTIVISTS MOCKED

ROBINSON'S
HIGH-PITCHED VOICE

AND LOBBED BASEBALLS
BACK AND FORTH

OVER THE CONGREGATION
WHILE HE SPOKE.

A HARLEM MAGAZINE
ACCUSED ROBINSON

OF BEING GOVERNOR
ROCKEFELLER'S "GOOD NIGGER."

OTHERS CALLED HIM
AN UNCLE TOM.

WILLIAMS: JACKIE ROBINSON
IN THE 1940S

IS THIS SYMBOL
OF BLACK MASCULINITY.

BY THE 1960S,
THAT NARRATIVE HAS CHANGED.

[CHEERING]

AND WHAT YOU SEE WITH
PEOPLE LIKE MUHAMMAD ALI

AND JIM BROWN IS
A MUCH MORE MILITANT,

IN-YOUR-FACE VIEW OF
BLACK MASCULINITY.

AND WHAT THEY SEE IS
THAT THE OLD MANNER OF

BLACK RESPECTABILITY IS
LIMITING

BECAUSE WHAT IT DENIES IS
THE FULL EXPRESSION OF HUMANITY,

OF BLACK HUMANITY.

BY THE LATE 1960S, THAT
SAME DIGNITY AND RESTRAINT

IS FROWNED UPON
AND SEEN AS UNMANLY

BECAUSE IT IS NOT AGGRESSIVE
AND IS NOT AS MILITANT.

[PROTESTORS
CHANTING INDISTINCTLY]

EARLY: BLACK PEOPLE BECAME
DISAPPOINTED WITH INTEGRATION.

THEY FELT THAT INTEGRATION HAD
NOT LIVED UP TO THE PROMISES.

AND THE HERO BECAME THE ATH--BIG
ATHLETIC HERO WAS MUHAMMAD ALI.

AND HE REFUSES TO
ACCEPT INDUCTION INTO THE ARMY.

THE REAL ENEMIES OF MY PEOPLE
ARE RIGHT HERE, NOT IN VIETNAM.

OH, I THINK
THAT HE'S HURTING...

I THINK THE MORALE OF A LOT
OF YOUNG NEGRO SOLDIERS

OVER IN VIETNAM,

AND THE TRAGEDY TO ME
IS THAT CASSIUS HAS MADE

MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OFF
OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC.

AND NOW HE'S NOT WILLING
TO SHOW HIS APPRECIATION

TO A COUNTRY THAT IS
GIVING HIM, IN MY VIEW,

A FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY.

YOU WERE BORN FREE.

YOU HAVE TO EXERCISE
THAT RIGHT, BROTHER...

NARRATOR: ROBINSON CHARGED
NEWSPAPERS, BLACK AND WHITE,

WITH MAKING TOO MUCH OF YOUNG
MILITANTS LIKE H. RAP BROWN.

BUT HE ALSO CRITICIZED
THE NAACP FOR BEING TOO MODERATE

AND FOR REFUSING
TO PROMOTE YOUNGER,

MORE AGGRESSIVE LEADERS
FROM WITHIN ITS RANKS.

BRYANT: YOU COULD
SEE HIM FLAILING,

TRYING TO FIND THE RIGHT WAY TO
GET THROUGH ALL OF THIS TUMULT.

BUT HE STAYED IN THE FIGHT.

EVEN WHEN YOU CAN MAKE
ARGUMENTS THAT--THAT ELEMENTS OF

THE--THE BLACK CULTURE REJECTED
HIM FOR BEING OUT OF TOUCH,

HE HAD HIS VISION ABOUT HOW TO
GET THERE, AND HE NEVER STOPPED.

WE CANNOT, UH,
EXCLUDE ANY MEANS,

EXCEPT VIOLENCE.

I DON'T GO FOR THAT,
BUT ANY OTHER MEANS...

BARACK OBAMA: JACKIE ROBINSON
FELT AN OBLIGATION TO SPEAK OUT.

ANY OF US WHO FIND OURSELVES
IN POSITIONS OF POWER

WHERE OUR VOICE MATTERS,
UH, WHERE WE ARE HEARD,

HAVE TO DO A CONSTANT GUT CHECK.

ARE WE DOING ENOUGH TO
MAKE SURE THAT VOICE IS ACTIVE

ON BEHALF OF THE VALUES, THAT,
UH, THAT ARE DEEPEST IN US,

THAT MATTER MOST TO US?

NARRATOR: ON MARCH 4, 1968,
A REPORTER CALLED JACKIE,

WONDERING IF HE CARED
TO COMMENT ON HIS SON'S ARREST.

[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS]

REPORTER: POLICE SAY THE SON OF
THE FORMER DODGER BASEBALL STAR

WAS CARRYING HEROIN, MARIJUANA,

AND A SMALL PISTOL
WHEN ARRESTED.

INTERVIEWED JUST
BEFORE HE POSTED $5,000 BAIL,

HIS FATHER SAID YOUNG JACKIE
DROPPED OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL

TO JOIN THE ARMY BECAUSE THE BOY
FELT HE NEEDED THE DISCIPLINE.

JACKIE: WELL, I THINK
THIS IS MAYBE--

IT'S A BIG PROBLEM
WITH ME.

I WAS CONSTANTLY GOING
AND COMING HOME

LATE IN THE EVENINGS,
AND BASICALLY TIRED

AND--AND FEELING THAT
MY HOME AND MY FAMILY

WAS BASICALLY SECURE,

THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE
THE KIND OF PROBLEMS

THAT MAYBE
SOMEBODY ELSE HAD.

AND I THINK
WE PROBABLY NEGLECTED

THE NEEDS OF
OUR OWN CHILDREN.

INTERVIEWER: AND YET YOU
REACHED A LOT OF OTHER KIDS.

WELL, I DON'T KNOW.

I FIND IT PRETTY
DIFFICULT TO FIND

HOW I CAN REACH OTHER KIDS
IF I CAN'T REACH MY OWN.

NARRATOR: JACKIE JR. WAS
EVENTUALLY COMMITTED TO DAYTOP,

A RESIDENTIAL
REHABILITATION CENTER

STAFFED BY EX-ADDICTS
IN SEYMOUR, CONNECTICUT.

[SIRENS]

ON APRIL 4, 1968,
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.,

WAS ASSASSINATED IN MEMPHIS.

IN MAY, JACKIE'S MOTHER,
MALLIE ROBINSON,

STILL LIVING AT
121 PEPPER STREET IN PASADENA,

COLLAPSED IN HER DRIVEWAY.

JACKIE FLEW OUT IMMEDIATELY
BUT ARRIVED TOO LATE.

"I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT ELSE
COULD HAPPEN TO US THIS YEAR,"

HE WROTE A FRIEND.

"I PRAY WE HAVE SEEN THE LAST
OF TROUBLE FOR A WHILE."

THEN IN JUNE
AFTER FEELING PAIN IN HIS CHEST,

JACKIE WENT TO SEE HIS DOCTOR.

TESTS SHOWED THAT
HE HAD SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK.

BUT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY,
HE WAS BACK WRITING COLUMNS,

DENOUNCING RICHARD NIXON, WHO
WAS AGAIN RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT,

AND RAILING AGAINST INEQUALITY.

JACKIE: WELL, I THINK
MOST WHITE AMERICANS HAVE

THEIR HEAD IN THE SAND
IN TERMS OF RACE RELATIONS.

WHITE AMERICA IS SAYING,
"LAW AND ORDER.

YOU GOT TO ABIDE BY IT,"

BUT IN THEIR HEARTS,
LAW AND ORDER MEANS

SIMPLY HOLDING
THE BLACK MAN DOWN.

NARRATOR:
EIGHT YEARS EARLIER, HE HAD BEEN

A PROMINENT SUPPORTER
OF RICHARD NIXON.

JACKIE: I'M NOT ASKING MR. NIXON
FOR ANYTHING PERSONALLY,

BUT I'M CONCERNED...

NARRATOR: NOW, WHEN ROBINSON
LED A GROUP OF BLACK LEADERS

TO THE WHITE HOUSE IN
AN ATTEMPT TO FORCE A DISCUSSION

OF BLACK CAPITALISM WITH A NEWLY
INAUGURATED PRESIDENT NIXON,

THEY FAILED TO MAKE
IT PAST SECURITY.

RACHEL ROBINSON: WHAT HE
BECAME VERY DISTURBED ABOUT WAS

THAT AMERICA
DIDN'T MOVE FORWARD.

SO HE DIDN'T PUT IT
ON THE MILITANTS,

HE DIDN'T PUT IT ON
THE RHETORIC.

HE PUT IT
ON AMERICA'S UNWILLINGNESS

TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS.

AND AT ONE TIME, HE TALKED
ABOUT IT BEING HARD FOR HIM

TO SALUTE THE FLAG.

I MEAN, I WAS REALLY
UPSET BY HIS EVEN THINKING THAT.

HE WAS DISAPPEARING, AND CHANGE
WAS NOT ON THE FOREFRONT.

EDELMAN: JACK AND I
WENT TO YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, ONCE.

WE GOT OFF THE PLANE.

AND THERE WERE,
I THINK, 250 OR 300 PEOPLE

IN THE SMALL WAITING ROOM THERE.

AND I ACTUALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHY.

AND AS WE WALKED IN,

THIS WOMAN BROUGHT HER
YOUNG GRANDSON TO INTRODUCE HIM.

AND I SAID,
"SO WHY DID YOU COME HERE?"

SHE SAID, "WE HEARD
HE WAS GONNA BE HERE,

AND I DIDN'T WANNA DIE UNTIL MY
GRANDSON MET JACKIE ROBINSON."

NARRATOR: IN THE FALL OF 1969,
RACHEL TOOK A LEAVE OF ABSENCE

FROM HER JOB TO BE
MORE AVAILABLE FOR JACKIE,

WHOSE DIABETES
WAS GETTING WORSE.

DAVID HAD BEEN ACCEPTED
AT STANFORD.

SHARON WAS STUDYING NURSING

AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY
IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

AND JACKIE JR. SEEMED
TO BE GETTING BETTER AND BETTER.

HE HAD BEEN VISITING
CASCADE ROAD REGULARLY.

IN MAY OF 1970,
JACKIE AND RACHEL HELD A PICNIC

ON THEIR LAWN FOR NEARLY
50 OF JACKIE JUNIOR'S FRIENDS

AND COUNSELORS
FROM THE DAYTOP COMMUNITY.

SHARON ROBINSON:
MY BROTHER IS SOBER.

AND, YOU KNOW,
HE AND MY FATHER ARE--

ARE BEGINNING
TO COMMUNICATE AGAIN.

AT THE END OF THE PICNIC,
THERE WAS THIS MOMENT

WHEN MY BROTHER WAS ABOUT TO GET
ON THE BUS TO GO BACK TO DAYTOP,

AND MY FATHER'S SO USED
TO BEING REJECTED BY MY BROTHER.

AND MY BROTHER PULLS
HIM INTO AN EMBRACE,

AND IT'S SUCH
A EMOTIONAL MOMENT.

JUST FINALLY WE'RE
SEEING RAYS OF HOPE.

NARRATOR: "THAT SINGLE MOMENT
PAID FOR

EVERY BIT OF ANGUISH I HAD
EVER UNDERGONE," WROTE JACKIE.

"I HAD MY SON BACK."

THAT FALL, JACKIE JR. MARKED

THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION
OF HIS TREATMENT AT DAYTOP.

SOON, HE WAS WORKING
FOR THE ORGANIZATION

AND MAKING HIS
OWN PUBLIC APPEARANCES,

SPEAKING ABOUT THE RAVAGES
OF ADDICTION.

[POLICE RADIO TRANSMISSION]

NARRATOR: EARLY ON THE MORNING
OF JUNE 17, 1971,

THE DOORBELL RANG
AT CASCADE ROAD.

SHARON ROBINSON:
IT WAS THE POLICE.

AND THEY JUST SAID,
"WHERE ARE YOUR PARENTS?"

AND I SAID,
"WELL, MY MOM'S AWAY. MY DAD..."

AND I WENT TO GET MY DAD,

AND MY DAD DIDN'T
EVEN COME DOWN TO THE--

DIDN'T EVEN COME DOWN THE STEPS.

HE STOOD RIGHT AT THE--
UP AT THE TOP OF THE STEPS,

AND HE'S LOOKING DOWN
AT THE POLICE.

AND HE KNOWS RIGHT AWAY.

AND THE POLICE SHOOK
THEIR HEADS AND MY FATHER SAID,

YOU KNOW, "HE'S DEAD."

NARRATOR: WHILE DRIVING
ON THE MERRITT PARKWAY

IN CONNECTICUT, JACKIE JR.
HAD LOST CONTROL OF HIS CAR

AND SMASHED
THROUGH THE GUARDRAIL.

REPORTER:
THE CAR SKIDDED ABOUT 30 YARDS

BEFORE SLAMMING
INTO AN ABUTMENT.

POLICE SAY THERE WAS NO
INDICATION DRUGS WERE INVOLVED.

NARRATOR: JACKIE SENT DAVID TO
THE MORGUE TO IDENTIFY THE BODY.

THEN HE AND SHARON RUSHED
TO HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS,

WHERE RACHEL WAS
ATTENDING A CONFERENCE.

SHARON ROBINSON: UH, MY FATHER
AND I, UH, WENT UP TO HER ROOM.

WE DIDN'T CALL HER
AHEAD OF TIME.

WE JUST WENT THERE.

AND IT'S EARLY MORNING.
SO WE KNOCK ON THE DOOR.

AND SHE SAYS, "WHO IS IT?"

AND HE SAID--
YOU KNOW, MY DAD SAYS,

"IT'S UH, IT'S--IT'S
SHARON AND I."

AND SHE OPENS THE DOOR.

AND MY FATHER TAKES
ONE LOOK AT HER, AND HE SAID,

"WE LOST HIM."

RACHEL ROBINSON:
AND I JUST WENT BERSERK.

I JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE
THAT THIS HAD HAPPENED

TO THIS YOUNG MAN
WHO WAS IMPROVING

AND MOVING BACK INTO LIFE
AND THEN HE WAS SUDDENLY TAKEN.

SO IT WAS MORE
THAN A TRAGEDY.

IT WAS A PART OF
MY LIFE THAT I NEVER GOT OVER.

JACK WAS DEVASTATED, DEVASTATED.

HE BEGAN TO SAY,
"WHAT COULD I HAVE DONE?"

NARRATOR: JACKIE'S
HEALTH CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE.

HE HAD LOST SIGHT
IN HIS RIGHT EYE,

AND HIS LEFT
HAD BEGUN TO FAIL AS WELL.

ONE DETROIT WOMAN
SENT A TELEGRAM TO JACKIE.

"DO YOU THINK A TRANSPLANT
WILL HELP?

I WILL BE GLAD TO GIVE
YOU ONE OF MINE."

THE CIRCULATION
IN HIS LEGS WAS SO POOR

THAT HIS DOCTOR WARNED THEY
WOULD SOON NEED TO BE AMPUTATED.

IN APRIL OF 1972 AT THE FUNERAL
FOR FORMER DODGER GIL HODGES,

ROBINSON'S
TEAMMATES WERE STARTLED

BY HIS FRAIL APPEARANCE.

SITTING DOWN BESIDE
PEE WEE REESE,

JACKIE AT FIRST DID
NOT EVEN RECOGNIZE

HIS OLD DOUBLE PLAY PARTNER.

EVER SINCE
HIS RETIREMENT IN 1956,

HE HAD STAYED AWAY
FROM MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.

IT ANGERED HIM THAT NO CLUB
HAD YET HIRED A BLACK MANAGER

OR EXECUTIVE,

AND HE STILL RESENTED

THE WAY THINGS
HAD ENDED WITH THE DODGERS.

BUT 25 YEARS AFTER
ROBINSON BROKE THE COLOR LINE

IN BASEBALL,
HIS OLD TEAMMATE, JOE BLACK,

PRESSURED COMMISSIONER
BOWIE KUHN

INTO INVITING ROBINSON
TO THROW OUT

A FIRST PITCH
AT THE 1972 WORLD SERIES.

JACKIE AGREED TO COME,

BUT WARNED THE COMMISSIONER

THAT HE WOULD USE
THE MOMENT TO SPEAK HIS MIND.

ON OCTOBER 15, 1972, MORE THAN
60 MILLION AMERICANS WATCHED

AS JACKIE ROBINSON THREW OUT
THE FIRST PITCH BEFORE GAME TWO.

[APPLAUSE]

I'M EXTREMELY PROUD AND PLEASED
TO BE HERE THIS AFTERNOON,

BUT MUST ADMIT I'M GONNA
BE TREMENDOUSLY MORE PLEASED

AND MORE PROUD WHEN I LOOK
AT THAT THIRD-BASE COACHING LINE

ONE DAY AND SEE A BLACK FACE
MANAGING IN BASEBALL.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[APPLAUSE]

NARRATOR: ON THE MORNING
OF OCTOBER 24, 1972,

JUST 9 DAYS AFTER JACKIE HAD
APPEARED AT THE WORLD SERIES,

RACHEL ROSE EARLY.

RACHEL ROBINSON: I DRESSED
AND WENT TO THE KITCHEN

TO MAKE BREAKFAST.

AND I COULD SEE HIM COMING.
I WAS STANDING IN THE KITCHEN.

I COULD SEE HIM
COMING DOWN THE HALLWAY NAKED.

HE HADN'T DRESSED,
AND HE WAS RUNNING.

AND SO I RAN OUT OF THE KITCHEN,

AH, TO MEET HIM BECAUSE
I KNEW SOMETHING WAS VERY WRONG.

AND, UM, HE PUT HIS ARMS AROUND
ME, AND HE SAID, "I LOVE YOU."

AND HE JUST SANK TO THE FLOOR.

NARRATOR: JACK ROOSEVELT
ROBINSON DIED AT 7:10 A.M.

HE WAS JUST 53 YEARS OLD.

THE OFFICIAL CAUSE
OF DEATH WAS A HEART ATTACK.

MORE THAN 500 MOURNERS
AN HOUR STREAMED PAST HIS COFFIN

TO PAY THEIR RESPECTS.

ON OCTOBER 29, 2,500 PEOPLE
CROWDED INTO RIVERSIDE CHURCH

IN HARLEM.

JESSE JACKSON: JACKIE
AS A FIGURE IN HISTORY WAS

A ROCK IN THE WATER,

CREATING CONCENTRIC CIRCLES
AND RIPPLES OF NEW POSSIBILITY.

NARRATOR: "JACKIE'S BODY WAS
A TEMPLE OF GOD,"

REVEREND JESSE JACKSON
SAID IN HIS EULOGY.

"IN HIS LAST DASH,
JACKIE STOLE HOME.

"PAIN, MISERY,
AND TRAVAIL HAVE LOST.

"NO GRAVE CAN
HOLD THIS BODY DOWN.

IT BELONGS TO THE AGES."

RACHEL ROBINSON: I THINK
THE THING I MISS THE MOST IS

HAVING A TRUSTED FRIEND
THAT I CAN TALK TO ANYTIME

ABOUT ANYTHING.

I CHERISHED THAT
BECAUSE WE HAD TO GO THROUGH

A LOT OF THINGS TOGETHER.

AND THE SECOND THING I MISS
IS HAVING HIS ARMS AROUND ME.

HE WAS VERY, VERY, UM...

EXPRESSIVE

AND, UH, LOVING.

AND I MISS THAT.

I MISS THAT A LOT.

BARACK OBAMA: THE EMPATHY
OF WATCHING BALL GAMES

AND SEEING JACKIE ROBINSON
PERFORM WITH SPEED AND POWER

BUT ALSO WITH DIGNITY
AND GRACE, THAT CHANGED

HOW AMERICA THOUGHT
ABOUT RACE RELATIONS.

SPORTS IS POWERFUL.

ON THE ONE HAND, IT'S A GAME.

ON THE OTHER HAND, IT IS
A UNIFYING PART OF OUR CULTURE.

ANDERSON: IT WAS NOT
JUST WHAT JACKIE ROBINSON DID

AS A BASEBALL PLAYER,

IT'S WHAT HE DID AS A BLACK MAN

IN A PREDOMINANTLY
WHITE SOCIETY.

IT SAID TO ALL OF US
WE WILL NEVER ACCEPT THINGS

AS THEY WERE.

MAN: "I WAS
THE BLACK GRANDSON OF A SLAVE,

"THE SON OF
A BLACK SHARECROPPER,

"PART OF A HISTORIC OCCASION,

A SYMBOLIC HERO TO MY PEOPLE..."

"BUT I KNOW THAT I AM
A BLACK MAN IN A WHITE WORLD.

"IN 1972, IN 1947,

"AT MY BIRTH IN 1919,

I KNOW THAT
I NEVER HAD IT MADE."

JACKIE ROBINSON.

SHARON JONES:
¶ THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND ¶

¶ THIS LAND IS MY LAND ¶

¶ FROM CALIFORNIA ¶

¶ WELL, TO THE NEW YORK ISLAND ¶

¶ FROM THE REDWOOD FOREST ¶

¶ TO THE GULF STREAM WATERS ¶

¶ I TELL YOU ¶

¶ THIS LAND ¶

¶ WAS MADE FOR YOU AND ME ¶

¶ AS I WENT WALKING ¶

¶ DOWN THAT RIBBON OF,
AH, HIGHWAY ¶

¶ I SAW ABOVE ME ¶

¶ OH, THAT ENDLESS SKYWAY ¶

¶ NOW, I SAW BELOW ME ¶

¶ THAT GOLDEN VALLEY ¶

ANNOUNCER: LEARN MORE ABOUT
THE LIFE OF JACKIE ROBINSON

AND JOIN THE CONVERSATION
WITH HASH-TAG JACKIEROBINSONPBS.

"KEN BURNS: JACKIE ROBINSON"
IS AVAILABLE

ON BLU-RAY AND DVD.

THE COMPANION BOOK IS
ALSO AVAILABLE.

THIS SERIES IS ALSO AVAILABLE
FOR DOWNLOAD FROM iTUNES.

JONES: ¶ "PROPERTY" ¶

¶ WELL, ON THE BACK SIDE ¶

¶ YOU KNOW IT SAID NOTHING ¶

¶ SO IT MUST BE ¶

¶ THAT SIGN ¶

¶ WAS MADE FOR YOU AND ME ¶

¶ THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND ¶

¶ THIS LAND IS MY LAND ¶

¶ FROM RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA ¶

¶ AH, TO STATEN ISLAND ¶

¶ WELL, DOWN TO AUGUSTA,
GEORGIA ¶

¶ AH, DON'T FORGET TO SAY
PHILADELPHIA ¶

¶ AH ¶

¶ WE MOVING ON DOWN
TO MISSISSIPPI ¶

¶ AH ¶

¶ HOUSTON, TEXAS ¶

¶ AH, L.A. ¶

¶ YEAH ¶

¶ YOU KNOW, THIS LAND ¶

¶ IS YOUR LAND ¶

¶ AH AH ¶

¶ THIS LAND IS MY LAND ¶