Page 26 - Sports Illustrated KIDS Magazine (January - February 2020)
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Still, the driver ordered Robinson to the back.
He refused, and when the bus reached the
end of the line, the driver called the military
In April 1942, four months after the outbreak police. Investigators recommended that
of World War II, Robinson was inducted into Robinson be court-martialed, which required
the U.S. Army. At the time, the military was his commanding officer’s consent.
largely racially segregated, and Robinson When the officer refused to allow the charges,
felt that prejudice in various ways. Robinson was transferred to another unit—one
Competition between forts in a variety whose commander would O.K. the court-martial.
of sports was fierce. Robinson was better Robinson was ultimately charged with
known for his football prowess than insubordination. At his trial,
baseball. So when he attempted to join The he was found not guilty.
his fort’s baseball team, he was told he had Good Fight Robinson served out his time in the
to play for the Negro team—which didn’t Robinson battled Army in Kentucky. While there he met a
exist. And though Robinson went through prejudice while fellow soldier who had played with the
Officer Candidate School and attained the rank serving in the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro
of second lieutenant, he was ultimately U.S. Army during leagues. He recommended Robinson to the
World War II.
sent to an all-black tank battalion based team, setting in motion the events that AFRO AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS/GADO/GETTY IMAGES (2)
in Texas. would culminate with Robinson’s breaking
The most extreme incident came on the color barrier in 1947. It wasn’t until a year
July 6, 1944. Robinson boarded an Army bus that later that racial discrimination was officially
was supposed the be desegregated. banned in the U.S. armed forces.
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