Erasing Jackie Robinson

Baseball legend Jackie Robinson broke barriers on the field—but his legacy off the field is under attack. I share this video by Akilah Hughes in which she explores how the Trump administration is trying to rewrite history in its crusade against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). 

For me, it's personal. I was into baseball from the get-go. I played and dreamed baseball day and night. I devoured stories about the heroes - Lou Gehrig, Willie Mays and Jackie Robinson. Even though Robinson was before my time, I knew all about his exploits as a player and his importance as a Black American. My father told me stories about seeing him play against his favorite team, the Giants, and stories about the racism and hatred that Jackie endured. I learned that Jackie was important, not just because he was a great player, not just for the game of baseball because he broke the color barrier, but for our country and the civil rights movement that was so active when I was growing up. Jackie Robinson's greatness is settled history. So it disgusted me to see that his honor and memory was being erased.

This video is soooo good. Akilah Hughes speaks with Roy Wood Jr., Jeremy Taché, and The Nation’s Kali Holloway to unpack why it’s important to defend history and what DEI efforts are designed to achieve. 

Here's what it looked like