Jackie Robinson Was Hero of Fight Against Both Racism and Anti-Semitism
Harlem moviegoers at the opening of 42 will see the story of Jackie Robinsons legendary courage, class and talent in the face of immense pressure and racial hatred as he broke down baseballs color barrier.
Less well known is Robinsons role in a controversy that erupted just a few blocks away, at Harlems most famous theater, and underscored his commitment to fighting all bigotry, including prejudice emanating from his own community.
It was 1962, a decade-and-a-half after Robinson first took the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers and just a few years after he retired. Day after day, an angry crowd marched outside Harlems legendary Apollo Theater protesting against its Jewish owner, Frank Schiffman, and his plan to open a low-cost restaurant with prices that potentially would threaten the business of a more expensive black-owned eatery.
The demonstrators carried anti-Semitic posters and hurled racial epithets, reportedly denouncing Schiffman as a Shylock who wanted to extract a pound of flesh from the black community.
Schiffman turned to several black leaders for help, but despite the increasingly hostile acts of anti-Semitism that were taking place, they all remained silent except for Robinson.
Read more: http://forward.com/articles/174609/jackie-robinson-was-hero-of-fight-against-both-rac/#ixzz2QE8H80y6
radicalliberal
(907 posts)I'm not a sports fan, but he's someone I've always admired. The truly principled among us are the real heroes, not the arrogant self-promoters. They appeal to our better nature.
Behind the Aegis
(53,962 posts)Like you, not a big sports fan, but when I saw the promos for the upcoming movie about Jackie Robinson, I told my partner I wanted to see it. I always thought he was a spectacular man, but I didn't even know this side of him until I read the article. Makes me like him even more.
radicalliberal
(907 posts)Reading the article about Jackie Robinson brought tears to my eyes. I guess I'm a softie; but I am 62 years old, which means that I grew up under Jim Crow and all but witnessed incredibly appalling acts of cruelty. I've also been completely disgusted by the moral cesspool of the Penn State and Steubenville scandals, not to mention others in the world of school sports that have been covered up. So, it's a relief to hear about someone of noble character such as Robinson.