Jackie Robinson- Jackie Robinson was born in 1919 and became the first colored player in the major league of baseball. Jackie was born in Georgia and had grown up with segregation and the mistreatment of African Americans. Mr. Robinson had played many sports before baseball including track and football. In 1942 Robinson was enlisted in the Military and became a second lieutenant. In 1944 he was arrested because he would not give up his seat up on a segregated bus. Mr. Rickey liked Robinson's resistance and knew he could handle the abuse he was going to face in baseball. Jackie showed that African Americans could stay up with whites and that the world could change.
Rosa Parks- Rosa Parks is one of the many symbols in the civil rights movement of the 1960's. Rosa Parks was born in 1913 in Alabama, and had been raised by her mom and grandparents who had been slaves. Parks had grown up through racial discrimination and had defined it at a young age. The defining point in Rosa Parks life happened on a bus. She sat down in a white section and did not get up for a white individual. She was then arrested and thrown into jail. After word of her arrest spread, a city wide bus boycott occurred to change the bus rules. Rosa Parks not only showed that African Americans were not afraid to speak up, but also that they stuck together when adversity hit. Rosa Park's action showed that African Americans were not afraid and that they understood the consequences. Even though Rosa Parks got arrested, her actions sparked a huge uprising and boycott showing the power of the African Americans.
Malcolm X- Malcolm X was born in 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska. Malcolm's real name was Malcolm Little, but he changed it to X because he felt Little was a slave name. At a young age Malcolm was brought into the light of discrimination. His father, Earl Little, was killed and thrown onto the towns train tracks. As Malcolm began his civil right actions he studied Muhammad's teachings, and based his life on them. He used multiple medias to spread his message and got criticism for it. Malcolm challenged King's thoughts, and believed that African Americans should defend themselves by any means necessary.
Branch Rickey- Branch Rickey was born in 1881 and was the GM for the Dodgers. Mr. Rickey was the first GM to sign a African American to play baseball for a major league team. He signed Jackie Robinson in 1945 and had him play on their minor league team. Although there were no rules or laws banning an African American from playing, the league did not like the idea of Robinson playing. Branch Rickey never gave up on Robinson and showed that African Americans can and will play in the majors. Rickey's act of valor showed that segregation could be broken and that barrier could be broken. His actions gave hope to many young boys who dreamed of playing in the majors and also showed that African Americans could co exist with whites.
Martin Luther King Jr- Martin Luther King Jr. was a huge civil rights figure. King began as a Baptist preacher and started the SCLC and a huge fight for civil rights. King is most famously know for his "I have a dream" speech, but he did a lot more then that. Martin Luther King Jr. was a huge part of the Montgomery boycotts and most of the protests during the 60's. Mr. King was the leader of the bus boycotts, even though he was new to Montgomery. They choose him to be the leader, because he had few enemies and he was young. Martin Luther King Jr. is more widely known for his "I have a Dream" speech that he gave during the March on Washington. King's speech gave new light to the Jim Crow laws in the south and many northerners questioned why the existed. While King was in Memphis, he was shot and killed on his balcony. King did a huge part in getting civil rights passed everything from his marches to his speeches.
Oliver Brown-Oliver Brown was born in Springfield, Missouri in 1918. Brown was a welder and an assistant pastor in Kansas. Brown was involved in a monumental case named Brown vs. The Board of Education. Brown and a couple of other parents attempted to enroll there kids into a all white school and were denied. The papers provided a legal angle to file a lawsuit. The lawsuit made it all the way to the Supreme Court and was a major decision. The court ruled that separate but equal was unconstitutional. Brown's actions along with the other families made it possible for blacks to get good education and not be separated from white kids anymore. This major step forward showed that separate but equal was not equal and that African Americans had be deprived of their rights.