Today, it is common to see people of all races playing together on professional sports teams. But, on April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first African American in the modern era to play major league baseball when he started at first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Robinson's role with the Dodgers marked the end of racial segregation in professional baseball and provided a boost for the growing Civil Rights Movement. The new film “42” chronicles Robinson’s rise through Major League Baseball and depicts the turbulent, racially charged environment he had to play in.
Today, however, it is not commonplace to see all sexual orientations playing together on professional sports teams. Professional basketball player Jason Collins recently announced, "I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay." What does this mean to professional sports today?
Watch the film's trailer, read the USA Today article about Jason Collins, and then draw on your personal experiences to blog.
Today, however, it is not commonplace to see all sexual orientations playing together on professional sports teams. Professional basketball player Jason Collins recently announced, "I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay." What does this mean to professional sports today?
Watch the film's trailer, read the USA Today article about Jason Collins, and then draw on your personal experiences to blog.
