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Baseball cards honoring award-winning African-American players
Courtesy of National Baseball Hall of Fame Library
African-American History
P O S T I NT E G R AT I O N E R A 1 94 8 – PR E S E NT
League Leaders
Baseball History
1960
LUNCH COUNTER SIT-INS
Courtesy of the National Archives
and Records Administration,
Washington, D.C
In 1949, Roy Campanella, Larry Doby, Don Newcombe
African-American students in North Carolina stage sit-ins at lunch
counters where they are not allowed to eat.
Ebbets Field as the first African-American players on the
was integrated, but in baseball, as in all parts of American life,
questions concerning true equality of opportunity remained
unresolved. The presence of black players, managers or team
mounted for the rest of the major league teams to inte-
officials was not always fully accepted or welcomed. Despite
grate. But progress was slow, and it would take more than
progress on many fronts in baseball, such issues continue to
1963
Newcombe teamed with Robinson to make the Brooklyn
MARCH
Dodgers a perennial contender for the National League
WASHINGTON
BUCK O’NEIL
First African-American major league coach,
with the Chicago Cubs
rally of nearly 250,000 in front of the Lincoln Memorial. The civil rights leader
receives the Nobel Peace Prize the following year.
Newcombe, a pitcher and an all-around ballplayer, won
20 games in 1955 and batted .359 with seven home runs.
1964
In 1956 he won 27 games and was awarded baseball’s
a decade before every club had at least one African-
CIVIL RIGHTS ACT
first Cy Young Award. Sam Jethroe, National League
American player on its roster.
Rookie of the Year in 1950, led the league in stolen bases
be discussed today.
Sam Jethroe (in the uniform of the Boston Braves)
Outlaws racial discrimination in all public accommodations and employment
Courtesy of National Baseball Hall of Fame Library
in his first two seasons, but injuries limited his major
“Colored” entrance tickets for a minor league Eastman (Georgia)
Dodgers game, c. 1953
Donated by Hal M. Smith, Jr.
Courtesy of National Baseball Hall of Fame Library
During the 1972 World Series, Jackie Robinson called attention
ON
Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his “I Have a Dream” speech to a massive protest
pennant and, ultimately, the World Championship in 1955.
After Jackie Robinson's 1947 Dodgers debut, pressure
With the continuing integration of the white major leagues,
the Negro American League can no longer support itself
1962
roster. Former Negro leaguers Campanella and
Integration Is Gradual
NEGRO AMERICAN LEAGUE FOLDS
with its remaining talent base.
and Jackie Robinson made All-Star Game history at
Between 1947 and 1959, every major league team’s roster
1960
to the absence of African-American managers in the majors.
TWENTY-FOURTH AMENDMENT
On Opening Day 2002, Hall of Famer Frank Robinson wore this jersey when he
league career to just three full seasons. Jethroe played
returned to the dugout as the manager of the Montreal Expos. In 1975, Robinson
for the Boston Braves and the Pittsburgh Pirates.
major leagues’ first African-American manager.
Abolishes poll taxes in federal elections, which are required by some southern
states in an effort to prevent African Americans from voting
had made baseball history when he was chosen by the Cleveland Indians as the
Buck O’Neil
Courtesy of National Baseball
Hall of Fame Library
VOTING RIGHTS ACT
Donated by Frank Robinson
Photo by Milo Stewart, Jr./National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
Abolishes literacy-test requirements and other discriminatory
Not until 1975 did Frank Robinson break the manager’s color
practices traditionally used to keep black citizens from
registering to vote
line, piloting the Cleveland Indians for three years. Over the
Emmett Ashford
Courtesy of National Baseball
Hall of Fame Library
MALCOLM X ASSASSINATED
years, and often outside the public eye, integration of baseball’s
Three gunmen kill the civil rights leader at a speaking
engagement in Manhattan.
executive offices and related businesses has remained an issue.
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
Roy Campanella, Larry Doby, Don Newcombe and Jackie
President Lyndon B. Johnson signs an Executive Order requiring
Robinson pose on the dugout steps at the 1949 All-Star
all government contractors and subcontractors to take
Game at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York. This was the
“affirmative action” to expand job opportunities for minorities.
first All-Star Game to feature black players on the roster.
Courtesy of United Press International
1966
FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN SENATOR SINCE RECONSTRUCTION
Edward Brooke is elected to the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts.
He is the first African-American senator since Reconstruction.
BLACK PANTHER PARTY
Founded by black revolutionaries Huey Newton, Bobby Seale and Richard Aoki,
Don Newcombe and Roy Campanella
1966
EMMETT ASHFORD
First African-American umpire in the major leagues
TED WILLIAMS’ INDUCTION SPEECH
During his Hall of Fame induction speech, Ted Williams calls for
recognition of the great Negro league players and hopes they will
some day be elected to the Hall of Fame.
Curt Flood
Courtesy of National Baseball
Hall of Fame Library
the party promotes militant self-defense and black liberation.
Courtesy of National Baseball Hall of Fame Library
Texas Rangers windbreaker jacket belonging to Comer Cottrell, Jr., the first
African American to become a major league team owner. Cottrell partnered
with George W. Bush to buy the club in 1989.
1967
Donated by Comer Cottrell, Jr.
Photo by Milo Stewart, Jr./National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
THURGOOD MARSHALL
The U.S. Senate approves President Lyndon Johnson’s nomination of
St. Louis Browns home jersey worn by Satchel Paige,
1952
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Handbill urging integration of the New York Yankees,
distributed by the American Labor Party at Yankee Stadium, 1953
Courtesy of National Baseball Hall of Fame Library
(Background Photo)
After Jackie Robinson integrated the
ballfield itself, other areas of the game
followed slowly. In some major league
cities, black and white teammates
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could not stay in the same hotels or
Donated by Lee MacPhail
Thurgood Marshall, making him the first black Supreme Court justice.
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In 1975, Frank Robinson made baseball history when he was chosen
by the Cleveland Indians as the major leagues' first African-American
manager. Robinson excelled as a player as well in a 21-season career.
He was the only player to win the Most Valuable Player award in both
the National and American leagues and ranks in the top ten in career
home runs. Robinson went on to manage the San Francisco Giants, the
Baltimore Orioles, the Montreal Expos and the Washington Nationals.
eat in the same restaurants. In the
CIVIL RIGHTS PROTESTS CONTINUE
Thurgood Marshall
Courtesy of Library
of Congress
Two years after riots erupted in the Watts section of Los Angeles,
CURT FLOOD
After refusing to play for
Philadelphia following a 1969
trade, Flood sues Major League
Baseball in an effort to abolish
civil rights protests spread to northern cities where they sometimes
turn violent. Newark and Detroit experience major riots in July.
1971
FIRST ALL-BLACK
LINEUP
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On September 1, the Pittsburgh
Courtesy of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library
Photo by Milo Stewart, Jr./National Baseball Hall of
1970
Pirates use the first all-black
lineup in major league history.
1968
Larry Doby and Satchel Paige
Effa Manley
In July 1947, the American League began integrating when
Several Negro league owners, including Hall of Famer
Bill Veeck and the Cleveland Indians signed Larry Doby.
Effa Manley, hoped that the Negro leagues would
Doby would go on to lead the American League in home
become formal minor leagues within the majors’
runs with 32 in both 1952 and 1954. Though legendary
organizational structure. Instead, the major leagues
pitcher Satchel Paige was nearing 50 years old when
signed only the strongest black players, leaving
integration began, he still enjoyed a brief major league
other players, experienced managers and black
career, playing for both the Cleveland Indians and St.
owners with no role in the integrated game. Manley
Louis Browns. He also appeared in one game for the
and her husband owned the Newark Eagles baseball
Kansas City Athletics in 1965.
franchise in the Negro leagues from 1935 to 1946.
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
Pride and Passion: The African-American Baseball Experience, a traveling exhibition for libraries,
was organized by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Cooperstown, New York,
and the American Library Association Public Programs Office, Chicago. The traveling exhibition has been made
AND
ROBERT F. KENNEDY
ASSASSINATED
Senator Kennedy is shot following the California Democratic Party primary for
president just two months after the killing of Dr. King, the civil rights leader.
SHIRLEY CHISHOLM
possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: great ideas brought to life.
The citizens of New York’s 12th District, located in Brooklyn,
SATCHEL PAIGE
Satchel Paige becomes the first player inducted into the
National Baseball Hall of Fame based solely on his
performance in the Negro leagues.
1974
HANK AARON
Former Negro league player and Atlanta Braves star
Hank Aaron passes Babe Ruth as the career home run
record holder in major league history.
Satchel Paige at his 1971 induction
Courtesy of National Baseball
Hall of Fame Library
elect the first black woman to the U.S. Congress as a member
The traveling exhibition is based on an exhibition of the same name on permanent display at the
of the House of Representatives.
MLB PARTICIPATION
African Americans make up nearly one quarter of all
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
players on major league rosters, the height of black
Shirley Chisolm
Courtesy of Library of Congress
1978
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION UPHELD
The U.S. Supreme Court upholds affirmative action policies in the
Regents of the University of California V. Bakke decision.
participation in baseball history.
1975
FRANK ROBINSON
The majors’ first African-American field manager works for the
1983
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this exhibition do not necessarily reflect those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY
New national holiday approved by the U.S. Congress, to begin in 1986
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum wishes to recognize the following for their
Effa Manley
Courtesy of National Baseball Hall of Fame Library
FRONT OFFICE
A 13-year major league player, Bill White becomes
Dr. Lawrence Hogan
1992
John Holway
CAROL MOSELEY BRAUN
Larry Lester
First African-American woman elected to the U.S. Senate
Rachel Robinson
Mary Quinn, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
THE
BILL WHITE
Phil Dixon
Photo by Milo Stewart, Jr./National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
IN
director of player personnel, making him the first African American to
head up front office operations for a major league club.
1989
Dick Clark
Loaned by the National Museum of American History,
Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
manage San Francisco, Baltimore, Montreal and Washington.
The Atlanta Braves promote Bill Lucas to vice president and
assistance in the development of this exhibit:
Jersey worn by Cleveland Indians center fielder Larry Doby, 1948
Cleveland Indians from 1975 through 1977. He goes on to
1984
LOS ANGELES RIOTS
Gretchen S. Sorin
president of the National League. Len Coleman,
another African American, succeeds him from 1994 to 1999.
Bill White
Courtesy of National Baseball
Hall of Fame Library
COMER COTTRELL JR.
Comer Cottrell, Jr. becomes part-owner of the Texas Rangers, making
him the first African American to partially
own a major league team.
After four white police officers are found not guilty of using
excessive force in the videotaped beating of African-American
The Hall of Fame would also like to thank Major League Baseball
Rodney King, riots erupt in Los Angeles.
PRIDE &
1995
MILLION MAN MARCH
Toronto’s Cito Gaston is the first African-American manager to lead
his team to a World Series victory.
1993
This Washington, D.C. rally seeks to strengthen the family
and challenge negative images of African-American men.
FIRST BLACK GENERAL MANAGER
Cito Gaston
Courtesy of National Baseball
Hall of Fame Library
Bob Watson is promoted to GM by the Houston Astros, becoming
the first black man to hold this post in the major leagues.
2001
GENERAL COLIN POWELL
Colin Powell becomes U.S. Secretary of State, the first
African American appointed to this high political office.
The African-American Baseball Experience
1997
JACKIE ROBINSON’S NUMBER RETIRED
Bob Watson
Robinson’s number “42” is retired throughout all levels of professional Courtesy of National Baseball
Hall of Fame Library
baseball, an honor never before bestowed on any player.
ROSA PARKS DIES
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Three years later he wins a World Series as Yankees GM.
2 0 0 5 2005
The civil rights pioneer is the first woman to lie in honor in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.
6K
1992
CITO GASTON
for funding the Museum’s study on African-American baseball from 1860 to 1960,
conducted by the Negro Leagues Researchers & Authors Group from 2001 to 2005.
.
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BLACK PARTICIPATION
DECLINES
African-American participation in
the majors is down to
nine percent, the lowest since
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