Jackie Robinson - Post-retirement

After his retirement, in 1957, Jackie began to become more politically active. He spoke out about the best methods for pursuing equality, attended protest marches and rallies, endorsed and worked on election campaigns for various elected officials in high government offices. Whenever he would write a president (or an Executive Branch member, close to the president), it would usually be to press him to do more about civil rights, or compliment his service in the line of civil rights.

One of the first instances of Jackie contacting a major politician was on August 12, 1957, when he sent a telegram to Special Assistant to President Eisenhower, Fred Morrow, saying that he was opposed to the current version a civil rights bill, that was in congress at that time. In the telegram, he infers that the bill does not do enough, and for a bill of this magnitude, African-Americans can wait a little longer, while it is improved.

On May 13, 1958, Jackie wrote the White House, again, but this time, to President Eisenhower. He had been sitting in the audience of the Summit Meeting of Negro Leaders, the previous day, when Eisenhower gave a speech about civil rights. Eisenhower told the audience, "...we must have patience." This remark angered Robinson, who wrote back, "Oh no! Not again!" Jackie goes on to say, "I respectfully remind you sir, that we have been the most patient of all people." Eisenhower also goes on to talk about "self-respect" , which makes Jackie conclude that it would be incompatible for African-Americans to have self-respect while remaining patient. He then writes that, "We want to enjoy now the rights that we feel we are entitled to as Americans." Robinson is trying to send across his message, on behalf of many African-Americans, that patience is wearing thin, and that a more aggressive approach toward civil rights must be taken. Jackie had much respect for Eisenhower, but probably felt that in this situation, Eisenhower was coming up short in policy and rhetoric toward civil rights. Jackie had defeated racism on the basepaths, and now he was looking to take the fight to the entire American society. His first step was in writing Eisenhower.
Jackie's next step took place in 1959, three years after he played his last game, and three years before he would be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Robinson was involved in an altercation at a South Carolina airport. When he entered the waiting room, the manager informed him that he had to move to the "colored waiting room". Jackie's intention was to refuse to leave the white-only waiting room for the "colored waiting room". He left the airport (on his way to an NAACP rally) without any law enforcement being involved or any physical confrontation. Even so, this incident sparked the involvement of the South Carolina NAACP and attracted moderate attention from the press. The South Carolina NAACP set 1963 as the, "...target date for 'complete freedom.'" Although the article in the New York Times does not going into any detail about the term, "target date for 'complete freedom'", it most likely means that it is the South Carolina NAACP's goal to integrate the state and outlaw the segregationist policies that were in place at the time. But, the story would get even more interesting in the months to follow.

Three months later, on January 1st, 1960, the South Carolina NAACP organized a march, held at the same South Carolina airport that discriminated against Jackie. Emancipation Day (commemorating the day, January 1st, in 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation) was selected as the day that would include a march, with the singing of hymns, and the reading of a proclamation denouncing racist political leaders, governmental system, press, and social customs. Jackie became a spark for a movement, at this point. He is the motivation for a march, for a protest. He became a civil rights leader and was seen as someone who can bring about change.

Here is where you, again, look at why Jackie received so much attention and press coverage. It has been established that his skill and popularity as a ballplayer led to much of his notoriety and treatment outside of the game. But, why does the Civil Rights Movement choose Jackie? He is not just some random black person. He is someone who is liked by both blacks and whites, and has been accepted. By 1960, it had come apparent that no matter what his skin color, baseball players, managers, media, and fans accepted him. When white people, especially his fans, see that he is still being affected by racism, they may be more sympathetic toward the black cause. All Americans generally liked Jackie. So, when a white person saw this, it hit slightly closer to home, and they began to humanize the struggle and become more sympathetic towards the Movement.

Not only did Robinson write politicians to influence their policies, he was quite vocal about who he supported. He didn't just put a sign out front of his house, or endorse a candidate, when asked. He went out of his way to make sure that people knew whom he was supporting in an election, and that it was because of their stance on civil rights.

In 1960, the first presidential election year since his retirement, in 1957, Jackie initially supported Hubert Humphrey for the Democratic nomination. And yet, in an April 9th article in the Chicago Defender, he states that he will support Richard Nixon-the Republican candidate-if Kennedy wins the Democratic nod. He cites the support given to Kennedy by the governor of Alabama, John Patterson. Patterson was seen as a negative, as he was an ardent detractor of the Civil Rights Movement. It would be like NAMBLA (The North American Man-Boy Love Association) supporting a candidate in 2008. The guilt by association would be damning enough.

On September 5th, of that same year, after Kennedy had won the Democratic nomination, Nixon extended an offer to Robinson to campaign for him. Robinson said that Nixon was, "better qualified" and "more aggressive on civil rights" than Kennedy. Robinson switched political parties over civil rights. The real story behind this, however, is that he did not like Kennedy's supposed ties with Alabama Governor John Patterson. So, when he supported Nixon, he was not giving a strong show of support for him, but rather he was showing his discontent for Kennedy. In other words, Jackie supported not Kennedy, and Nixon was not Kennedy.

Jackie's support was not enough to push Nixon over the top, and he lost the '60 election over John F. Kennedy. After Kennedy was elected president in 1960, Jackie wrote him, on February 9th, 1961. Jackie had supported Richard Nixon in the previous year's presidential election, even though he was quite displeased with, Republican, Eisenhower's handling of civil rights issues. He supported Nixon, because he felt that Nixon would have a better stance on civil rights issues than Kennedy, and he still seemed a little bitter in defeat. However, he praised Kennedy for his first few weeks in the Oval Office. Furthermore, he went on to express his hopes and feelings that Kennedy would continue his strong service in the aid of the Civil Rights Movement. He advised JFK not to rest on his laurels, saying, "...it is not how much has been done but how much more there is to do." This letter seems more of Jackie's way of congratulating Kennedy on the victory, while also implying that he will pay close attention to his presidency and his record on civil rights.

Three months after the February 9th, letter, Jackie wrote back, this time to Attorney General Robert Kennedy. Apparently, his first letter to Kennedy had garnered press attention, and he wrote this second letter to say that he was glad to see that Jack Kennedy's presidency had gone well in the three months since he last wrote, and that he was relieved. "As you know, I had complete confidence in your predecessor. However, your few months in office have been a real source of inspiration. I can only hope that you are allowed to continue your drive for equality among Americans."

Robinson wrote to President Kennedy, again, in 1963, on the eve of the funeral of Medgar Evers. He requested protection for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who would be attending. He reasoned that if someone would take a gun and assassinate a non-violent man, like Evers, they might have been willing to assassinate a more notable non-violent man, like Dr. King. He argued that the loss of Dr. King would do great harm for both races, and, "...the restraint of many people all over this nation might burst its bonds and bring about a brutal bloody holocaust the like of which this country has not seen." At this point, it can be assumed that Jackie Robinson possessed substantial political pull, enough so that he could write a U.S. President, requesting protection for Martin Luther King.

In 1963, Robinson expressed his discontent with Republican candidate, and eventual nominee, Barry Goldwater, by stating that if he gets the GOP nod, he will support John Kennedy-the man he detested in 1960-in the next year's election. Of course, Kennedy would not live to see the re-election year, as he was assassinated on what would be one of the darkest days in American History. On February 1st, 1964, the New York Times reported that Robinson left his job, to support Nelson Rockefeller for the Republican nomination.

Once it became apparent that Goldwater would be the Republican nominee, Robinson became a supporter of Vice President Lyndon Johnson. On July 18th, The New York Times reported that Jackie had been named the National Chairman of the Republicans for Johnson campaign. He would not officially switch his party affiliation, but he openly supported the opponent. Johnson, of course, would reap the benefits of a Barry Goldwater presidency. Johnson would cruise on to victory in '64, and pass the aforementioned civil rights legislation that would cement his and Kennedy's legacy.

In 1967, Jackie wrote President Lyndon Johnson, to compliment him on his role in Civil Rights. In 1964, Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and, the following year, signed into law the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which was targeted at curbing Southern laws and officials that impeded African-Americans from voting or even registering to vote. In this letter, Robinson wanted to thank LBJ for his support of this legislation, "First, let me thank you for pursuing a course towards Civil Rights that no President in our history has pursued." Also, Robinson expresses his concern that Dr. King's opposition to the Vietnam War does not dissuade Johnson from supporting the Civil Rights movement in the future.

Jackie Robinson: Civil Rights Leader - Index

• Jackie Robinson: Civil Rights Leader
• Jackie Robinson - Historiography
• Jackie Robinson - The Back Story
• Jackie Robinson - Black Ballplayers and Branch Rickey
• Jackie Robinson - Becoming Political
• Jackie Robinson - Post-retirement
• Jackie Robinson - Support of and Backlash Against the Movement
• Jackie Robinson - Conclusion