“A life isn’t significant except for its impact on others’ lives.” Jackie Robinson
When you ask someone who Jackie Robinson was, they will most likely tell you he was the first Black man to play major league baseball. This is a fact. But for me it was the journey he had to take to overcome not just hitting a ball with a stick, but he had to overcome the hate not just from other ball players but from the fans in the stands. When David “Big Papi” Ortiz came to bat people would chant his name. When Micheal Jordan or Lebron James hit the game winning shot people cheered. When Jackie Robinson came to bat, he was called by every vile name and racial slur you could imagine. It had to have been such a challenge for him to keep his cool. He earned his place as a player on the Brooklyn Dodgers, and I would argue that his road was much more difficult than his White counterparts during the post WWII era.
If you get the opportunity to read his autobiography, “I Never Had It Made” you will get an insight on the challenges he faced and how he got through them. This post is not going to be about the story of Jackie Robinson. It is about striving to have the strength to hold on to your dignity. Jackie Robinson knew he could not respond in the way that he wanted to because if he did that would have jeopardized the opportunities for other Black players. He would get hit with a ball or spiked with a medal cleat. He had to hold his anger. Even his teammates couldn’t retaliate on his behalf.
Jackie Robinson was able to hold on to his dignity and that strength began to change hearts and minds. It opened the doors of opportunities for those who were denied. He represented that quote that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr said over 10 years later about being judged “by the content of your character.” How we walk this earth will dictate how people see us. Every day I strive to honor dignity because I know it opens the door to possibilities for all those I meet.
It took me a long time to adjust my sails and to set the course in the right direction. Sometimes the seas were rough, but I tried to move forward and face the storms in my life. I won some battles, and I lost some, but I kept moving forward. Trust me, I am no Jackie Robinson. I do not know if I could have withstood what he took. His story was a lesson for me. It was a story of resiliency, strength, and dignity. When I am facing tough times, I remember those that came before me and sacrificed so that I can have the opportunities I have today. I honor them by creating a life that can have a positive impact on others.
“The most luxurious possession, the richest treasure anybody has, is his personal dignity.” Jackie Robinson
Charles Redd RN
Dignity Freedom Fighter
Dignity Freedom Fighter 