Jackie Robinson: A Spiritual Biography
Page 28
Olympics, Berlin (1936), 24
47, 55, 62, 80, 85, 97, 100, 175
O’Malley, Kay, 144
Randolph, A. Philip, 112–13, 122, 152
O’Malley, Peter, 176
Rangel, Charles, 172
O’Malley, Walter, 103, 144–45, 175, 176
Ratcliffe, “Double Duty,” 45
O’Neil, John “Buck,” 45
Rauschenbusch, Walter, 28
Operation Breadbasket, 172–73
Ray, James Earl, 162
Organization of Afro–American Unity,
Reagan, Ronald, 150
136
Reconstruction, 95
Organization of Industrialization Center
Red Cross, 41
(OIC), 138
Red Scare, 99
Ostermuller, Fritz, 94
Reiser, Pete, 42
Oswald, Lee Harvey, 134
Republican Party, 58, 60, 137, 139, 142,
Owens, Jesse, 24
162, 168
Revolutionary Action Movement (RAM),
Paige, Leroy, 45
158–59
Papini, Giovanni, 5
Rickey, Branch B., 100, 175–76
Parker, Mack Charles, 113–14
baseball playing career of, 53, 56–57
Parks, Rosa, 109
birth of, 51
Parrott, Harold, 93
business style of, 56, 59
Partlow, Ray, 82
childhood and youth of, 52–53
Pasadena, California, 4, 19–20, 22–24,
death of, 146
31–32, 36, 41–42, 45, 60, 67, 69,
health of, 58, 66
96, 165, 171
integration of baseball and, 1–9, 56,
Pasadena Junior College, 42
60–67, 72–73, 84, 89, 119
Passover, 96
marriage of, 57
Patterson, Floyd, 103, 129
Methodism of, 2–3, 51–52, 56, 58,
Pauling, Linus, 32
61–62, 65
Payne, Jesse, 70
parents’ religious faith and, 51–52
Pearl Harbor, 40
politics of, 46, 48, 53, 60, 99, 108,
Pennock, Harold, 92
120
Pensacola, Florida, 71–72
race relations, early handling of,
People’s Voice, 46
53–56, 61–62
Pepper Street Gang, 23–24, 27
religious faith of, 2–3, 6–10, 52,
Philadelphia Phillies, 88, 89
56–60, 76–78, 92, 98
Pittsburgh Courier, 41, 43, 65, 72, 77,
Robinson, support for, 5, 6, 8, 48, 59,
81, 84
66–67, 73–76, 82–85, 92, 98, 100,
Pittsburgh Pirates, 93, 94, 100
123, 146–47
P.M. newspaper, 91
Robinson’s initial meeting with, 1–7
Polmer, Murray, 52
Robinson’s signing and, 6–7, 54–56,
Powell, Adam Clayton, 32, 78, 127, 128,
62–65
151–53, 172
Robinson’s temper, concerns about,
Powell, Colin, 90
4–6, 70, 81
Presidential campaign of 1960, 119–20
university education of, 53–55, 58
Presidential campaign of 1964, 137–39
Rickey, Branch, Jr., 3
Presidential campaign of 1968, 165–69
Rickey, Emily Brown, 51, 52
Rickey, Jacob Franklin (Frank), 51, 52,
Quaison–Sackey, Alex, 141
53
204
Index
Rickey, Jane Moulton, 57, 58
personal qualities of, 48, 90
Riverside Baptist Church, 177
political involvement of, 99, 108, 111,
Robertson, Carole, 133
114–20, 122–23, 128–30, 133–34,
Robeson, Paul, 99
137–39, 42–43, 145, 147, 150, 156,
Robinson, David (son), 99, 111, 117,
159, 162, 164–70, 172, 176
132, 135, 139, 149, 171, 174
poverty and work, attitude toward,
Robinson, Jackie (Jack Roosevelt)
138–39, 150, 159, 169–70, 172–73
alcohol, attitude toward, 3, 47
prayer and, 9, 75, 93, 95, 99, 120,
anti–Semitism, attitude toward, 96,
167, 169
115–17, 121–22, 127–28, 148
racial discrimination, subject of, 4,
arrests of, 24–25, 34–35
8, 34–35, 42–44, 46–48, 65–66,
athleticism of, 3–4, 24, 35
70–76, 78–80, 82–84, 89–90,
awards and honors for, 103, 121,
92–97, 102, 116
130–32, 135–36, 144–45, 176
racial pride of, 22, 34–36, 101–2, 137,
baseball commentary of, 143–44
168
birth of, 13,
religious faith of, 6, 8–10, 25, 33–34,
Black power, attitude toward, 152–54
43–44, 47, 59, 77, 82, 84–85, 88,
business career of, 107, 112, 141–42,
91, 98–101, 103, 108, 115, 118–25,
170–71
131–33, 135, 141, 144, 146, 148,
childhood and youth of (California),
153–54, 157–59, 162–64, 166–67,
19–24
170
childhood of (Georgia), 15–19
religious freedom, attitude toward, 99,
church involvement of, 23, 28–29,
155
31–33, 134, 164–65
Rickey’s initial meeting with, 1–7
civil rights involvement of, 107–20,
Rickey’s relationship with, 8–9, 59
122–24, 127–30, 132–33, 135–36,
Rickey’s signing of, 6–7, 54–56,
138–39, 141, 143, 147–48, 150,
62–65, 85
152–53, 156–59, 164, 166, 170,
riots, attitude toward, 145, 150, 158,
176–77
164
as civil rights symbol, 8, 10, 65, 75,
as role model, 65, 76–77, 89–91,
101, 103
95–98, 101, 103, 123–24
columnist work, 113–14, 120
temper of, 3–6, 48, 70–72, 82–83, 91
coaching and teaching of, 45
training camp of 1946 and, 69–77
court–martial of, 4, 42–44, 72
training camp of 1947 and, 82–85
death and funeral of, 177–78
tryout with Red Sox of, 46–47
family life of, 111–12, 116–17, 132–
tryout with White Sox of, 41
35, 139, 145–47, 149–50, 161–62,
Vietnam, attitude toward, 147, 154,
167–68, 171–75
156–58, 164–65
health of, 124–25, 166–67, 172
women’s rights movement and,
integration of baseball, pressures of, 7,
148–49
65, 74–82, 88–89, 95, 97
Robinson, Jackie, Jr. (son), 82, 87–88,
marriage of, 67
93, 100, 111, 116, 132, 177–78
Methodism of, 2–3, 23
death of, 174–75
military career of, 40–44
drug problems and recovery of, 161–
Nation of Islam, attitude toward, 128,
62, 167–68, 171, 173
136–37
military career of, 134–35, 139, 146
Negro leagues career of, 4, 45–48
Robinson’s relationship with, 135,
nonviolence and violence, attitude
162, 171, 173
toward and acts of, 6, 9, 40, 70, 82,
Robinson, Jerry (father), 13–1
8
89, 93, 98, 130, 133–36, 166, 169
Robinson, Mack (brother), 16, 24
Index
205
Robinson, Mallie McGriff (mother), 6,
Robinson, Sharon (daughter), 99, 111,
28, 33, 39, 59, 69, 71, 98, 123, 137,
117, 132–33, 135, 161, 171,
147, 149, 168
174–75
California migration of, 18–19
Robinson, Willa Mae (sister), 16, 22–23
childhood of, 13–14, 23
Rockefeller, Nelson, 138, 142, 147, 162,
death of, 165
165–67, 170, 173
financial struggles of, 14–18
Rodelet, Louis A., 100
house purchase of, 19
Rogers, William, 111
married life of, 13–17
Romney, George, 155
race relations, handling of, 20–22, 24
Roosevelt, Eleanor, 67, 100
Rachel Robinson, attitude toward, 36
Roosevelt, Franklin, 39, 112
racial pride of, 22
Roosevelt, Theodore, 13
religious faith of, 13–25, 43–44, 98,
Rust, Art, Jr., 61
103
Rustin, Bayard, 40, 113
Robinson, Rachel A. (wife), 6, 108–9,
123, 146
Samuel, Herb, 107
childhood and youth of, 35
Samuel Huston College, 45, 96
children born to, 82, 99
Sanford, Florida, 63, 67, 72, 73, 76
fear for Robinson of, 79
Sasser, James Madison (Jim), 13–15, 17,
Jackie, Jr.’s death and, 174–75
172
Jackie, Jr.’s drug problems and recov-
Saturday Evening Post, 137
ery and, 161–62, 168, 171, 173
Saud, Saud bin Abdulaziz Al, 115
Jackie, Jr.’s military career and, 134–
Schiffman, Frank, 121–22
35, 145–46
Scioto County, Ohio, 51, 53
J. F. Kennedy and, 120
Scott Methodist Church, 23, 25, 28–29,
Karl Downs and, 96
60
L. B. Johnson’s dance with, 142
Selma movement, 142–43
March on Washington for Jobs and
Shaughnessy, Frank, 79
Freedom and, 132–33
Sit–in movement (1960), 118, 148
marriage and family of, 67, 74–75, 80,
Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bomb-
87–88, 99, 101, 111–12, 116–17,
ing, 133–34
149, 175
Slaughter, Enos, 61, 95
Montreal life of, 78
Smith, Wendell, 45, 46, 48, 64, 66, 72,
nursing and professorial career of,
73, 74, 77, 80, 81, 91, 92
149–50
social gospel movement, 28
personal characteristics of, 93
Sockman, Ralph, 146
pregnancy in 1946 of, 74–75, 80
South Bend, Indiana, 7, 54
Robinson’s abuse, explanation of, 79,
Southern Christian Leadership Confer-
94
ence (SCLC), 123, 128, 142–43,
Robinson’s death and, 177
170, 172
Robinson’s health and, 172, 174–75
Soviet Union, 99
Robinson’s military career and, 40,
Spingarn, Joel, 127
43–44
Spingarn Medal, 102, 103
Robinson’s premarital relationship
Sporting News, 59
with, 2, 6, 35–37, 39–40, 47–48, 67
Sportsman’s Park, 56, 61
Robinson’s relationship with O’Malley
Stamford, Connecticut, 111, 134–35,
and, 144
143, 145, 161, 174
Robinson’s religion and, 9, 93, 100
Stanky, Eddie, 82, 94
south, first trip to (1946) of, 69–72
Star–Spangled Banner, 41
training camps and, 73–75
Stennis, John, 133
206
Index
St. Louis Browns, 57, 58
Venezuela, 67, 70
St. Louis Cardinals, 55, 59, 60, 61, 90,
Vietnam War, 145, 147, 150, 154–57,
91, 100
161, 164–65
St. Louis Globe–Democrat, 52
St. Peter Claver’s Catholic Church, 62
Walker, Wyatt Tee, 123–24
St. Thomas Rectory, 97
Wallace, George, 137
Student Nonviolent Coordinating Com-
Wallerstein, Caroline, 139, 144, 166–67
mittee (SNCC), 150–51, 158
Wallerstein, David, 139
Sukeforth, Clyde, 1,2, 4, 6, 48
War on Poverty, 155, 159
Sullivan, Ed, 103
Washington, Booker T., 114
Sullivan, Leon, 138, 172
Washington Junior High School, 23
Summit Meeting of Negro Leaders, 111
Washington Senators, 57
Swaggott, F. F., 124
Wechsler, James, 113, 120
Werner, Ludlow, 65
Tatum, Tom, 80
Wesley, Cynthia, 133
Taylor, Billy, 174
Wesley, John, 2, 60, 61
Tebbetts, Birdie, 94
White, Walter, 41
This I Believe, 100
Wilder, Douglas, 95
Thomas, Burton, 18
Wilkins, Roy, 90, 98, 122–23, 152, 158,
Thomas, Charles “Tommy,” 7, 53, 54,
176
55, 56
Williams, Hosea, 142
Thomas, Dave “Showboat,” 46
Williams, Marvin, 46
Thurmond, Strom, 133, 167–68
Williams, Ted, 102
Troupe, Quincy, 48
Winchell, Walter, 91
Truman, Harry, 118
Wofford, Harris, 120
Tuskegee, Alabama, 140–41
Works Progress Administration, 39
Tuskegee Institute, 140
World Series, 61, 97, 100, 177
Tygiel, Jules, 55
World War II, 39, 40, 65, 70, 99–100
WOR–TV (New York City)
United Church of Christ (UCC),
Talk Back program, 112
130–32
Wright, Johnny, 66, 72, 73, 74, 76, 77
United States League (USL), 64
Wright, Richard, 151
University of California, Los Angeles
(UCLA), 1–3, 32, 34–35, 37,
Yawkey, Tom, 46
39–40, 45, 47, 67
Young, Whitney, 98, 152, 158
University of Kentucky, 53
Youth March for Integrated Schools
University of Michigan, 58
(1958), 113
University of Mississippi, 151
Youth March for Integrated Schools
University of Missouri, 42
(1959), 113
University of Notre Dame, 7, 54
Young Men’s Christian Association
US Army, 1, 4, 42
(YMCA), 57, 82, 101
Introduction
Just the Way He Was: Meeting the Real Mister Rogers
F red Rogers was concerned. Ellen Goodman, a syndicated columnist for the Boston Globe, had just criticized one of his public service announcements for preschool children during the Persian Gulf War. “Mr. Rogers decided to make a special public service announcement to anxious children that ‘you’ll always have someone to love you, no matter what,’ ” she’d written. “But the dateline of his report is the Kingdom of Make Believe.”1
The words stung, but rather than simply stewing, Rogers took to the pen, as he often did, writing Goodman a heartfelt response. “Having been an appreciative reader of y
our excellent work for years, I was concerned when I read the column in which you ‘clicked’ our public service announcement for preschool children in this horrendous world crisis,” he wrote.
Rogers did not launch at Goodman, but he did feel the need to explain his actions, gently but firmly, so she might better understand. “When PBS asked if I would speak about conflict to families of preschoolers, my first reaction was not to do anything about the war in this medium which seemed to broad-cast nonstop the ‘Scud v. Patriot Show,’ ” he offered. “But then I started to hear more and more about young children’s fears, and I prayed for the inspiration to do something helpful.”
Rogers added that the result of his prayers, the PSAs Goodman criticized, echoed his earlier work in another time of crisis. After the assassinations of President Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., and Robert Kennedy, he had written and taped a program in which he asked families to include their children in the grieving process. “Our country was in mass mourning,” he explained. “It was then that I realized more fully how speaking the truth about feelings—even on television—could be exceedingly curative.”
So in spite of his initial reticence, Rogers accepted the invitation from PBS
by doing what he did best—speaking directly to children and their families about their hopes and fears. He summed it up for Goodman:
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xii Introduction
Even though I don’t make policy in this country, I do feel an obligation to give the best I know how to families with young children when policies (of government and television) are affecting those families so directly.
That’s why I agreed to do anything at all. I lament for the world (not the Neighborhood of Make-Believe!) because the abuses of war breed abusers who grow up to sow the seeds of future wars. Anything I can do to bring a modicum of comfort to a little one, I will do. (How I would love for my 2½-year-old grandson to be able to grow up in a world which refuses to abuse its children!) Even though I felt helpless in some ways (because of the onset of the war), I was grateful (as I imagine you must be at times) to have an avenue in which to express the truth as I felt it for the children I’ve always tried to serve.
But it wasn’t just gratitude that Rogers was feeling as he finished his letter.
“You can imagine my grief,” he wrote in a postscript, “when I think of the many 20+-year-old men and women on ‘active duty’ in this war who grew during their earliest years with our ‘Neighborhood’ program. How I long for them to be able to come back here and live the rest of their lives in peace.”2
Fred Rogers was a pacifist. He was not a Navy Seal sniper with thirty confirmed kills during the Vietnam War. Nor was he an accomplished Marine who sought to hide his death-dealing skills by presenting himself as a kind and gentle soul. Although it’s easy to find these crazed claims on the Internet, the real truth is that Rogers’s spiritual beliefs led him to oppose all wars as well as all barriers to individual and social peace.
Rogers was an ordained Presbyterian minister, and although he rarely shared his religious convictions on his program, he fervently believed in a God who accepts us as we are and loves us without condition, who is present in each person and all of creation, and who desires a world marked by peace and wholeness. With this progressive spirituality as his inspiration, Rogers fashioned his children’s program as a platform for sharing countercultural beliefs about caring nonviolently for one another, animals, and the earth.