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On April 15, 1947, African American baseball player Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball in his first game for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was an interesting choice by the Dodgers to break the race barrier in baseball because he was an older player and not seen as the best player in the Negro league. Listen to learn how Robinson’s strong character, as much as his talent, helped to successfully integrate baseball.
Story Length: 6:26
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February 15, 2022
5:16
The NFL has struggled to respectfully represent the diverse country. Although the Washington team’s name no longer includes a racial slur, the former head coach for the Miami Dolphins has sued the NFL and three teams alleging racism in their hiring practices. The coach also alleges that he was asked to deliberately lose games in order to position the team for early draft picks. Listen to hear about the coach’s experiences and the NFL’s history of working toward greater diversity among its top leadership.
Read MoreOctober 14, 2020
6:09
When a recruiter invited Black high school students in Chicago to take up rowing, most initially declined. Crew was a predominantly white sport and seemed to have nothing to do with them. Those students who eventually joined, however, learned skills and gained insight that transformed their lives. Listen to an author reflecting on his experiences as a member of the first all-Black high school crew team, and hear how being on the team helped him succeed.
Read MoreMay 16, 2019
5:43
Baseball is arguably the oldest professional sport in the U.S. Though the sport has been around for a while, women have never played baseball in the major leagues. Advocates for girls in baseball say there is no inherent reason why women should not play baseball, but rather that societal norms are behind their absence at the highest level of the game. Listen to this story to learn about Jackie Mitchell, the woman who struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, and to hear about the prospects for girls in baseball.
Read MoreApril 3, 2015
8:16
Basketball fans across the country are preparing for the exciting end of March Madness, the NCAA basketball tournament. As Kentucky drives towards a undefeated season, this story remembers a time when the Southeastern Conference (SEC) was not integrated. Despite the Voting Rights Act of 1964, racism in the South was still commonplace and public. Perry Wallace stepped onto the basketball court for Vanderbilt University in 1966 and became the first black varsity athlete in the Southeastern Conference. Listen to learn more about the climate of Southern basketball in the late 1960s and how Perry Wallace survived and thrived.
Warning: Quotes in this story contain strong language.
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