Jackie Robinson changed the face of baseball and captured the attention and hearts of America when he strode onto Ebbett's Field on Opening Day, 1947, as a Brooklyn Dodger. He broke baseball's color line, paved the way for African-American players in all professional sports, and became a pivotal figure in the struggle for racial equality. The Jackie Robinson Reader gathers together writings that demonstrate the cultural impact of Robinson's actions and the life of the man himself. In addition to Robinson's own words, there are contributions from some of baseball's greatest figures, including: A previously unpublished manuscript by Arthur Mann, Branch Rickey's confidant, on why he chose to sign Robinson
An excerpt from Roger Kahn's legendary Boys of Summer
Actor Woody Strode's memories of his days playing football with Robinson at UCLA
A notable exchange of correspondence between Robinson and activist Malcolm X
A never-before-published 1946 report from the Major League Steering Committee, which defends the exclusion of blacks from the major leagues. The Jackie Robinson Reader covers the entirety of Robinson's life, creating a definitive work on the man, one no baseball fan will want to be without.