Melissa Ross
A celebration at Jacksonville’s J.P. Small Memorial Stadium, which used to host the Negro League, is set for Wednesday afternoon to honor baseball great Jackie Robinson.
Jacksonville’s oldest publication targeted at the African-American community, the Florida Star, is also celebrating its 65th anniversary in conjunction with the Robinson celebration.
Robinson, of course, was the first African-American baseball player to take the field in Major League Baseball. He signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15th, 1947.
Robinson played at the old stadium on Myrtle Avenue on the city’s Northwest Side in the Durkeeville neighborhood as a member of the Negro League. Other past Negro League players will be present at the event to autograph balls and pass on history, stories, and playing points.
And to add to the excitement, playing their first season game at the stadium will be Edward Waters College and Florida Memorial University, the two oldest HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) in Florida.
Read this harrowing account to get an idea of the treatment Robinson faced at spring training in Jim Crow North Florida in the 1940’s.
Robinson is back in the national spotlight once again, of course, due to the well-received Ken Burns film on his life and enduring influence, which just aired on PBS.
