Many know Jackie Robinson as the first African American to play in Major League Baseball. Yet fewer recognize his role as one of the first civil rights activists. In 1947, the baseball hero from the Brooklyn Dodgers shattered the color barrier in the world of sports.

Dr. Michael Long, associate professor of Religious Studies and Peace & Conflict Studies, is a leading scholar in the life of Jackie Robinson as a baseball player and activist. In 2013, Long published his book Beyond Home Plate: Jackie Robinson on Life After Baseball, where Long goes into detail about the role Robinson played in the Civil Rights movement. To begin Martin Luther King Jr. Week, Long spoke on the relationship between Robinson and King. Both men had a strong respect and influence on one another as they contributed to the Civil Rights movement.

Robinson’s professional career started in 1947, his first game in the Major League, which lead to a jump-start in the Civil Rights Movement. His life in baseball had many difficulties, even his teammates objected to playing with an African-American. Despite the racial abuse throughout his career, Robinson succeeded to put aside the prejudice and prove his talent as a baseball player.

With 12 home runs his first year of playing in the Major League, Rookie of the Year award, and National League’s Most Valuable Player award, Robinson created a name for himself as one of the most talented baseball players. After leading the Dodgers to the World Series, Robinson retired in 1957; causing a small tide of change in the view of African Americans. Shortly after, in 1962, Robinson was inducted into the Hall of Fame. With his career in baseball ending, Robinson began to use the legacy he created to influence the sport of baseball and society as a whole. Segregation and discrimination were still active forces in the society, and Robinson wanted to his voice to echo the many others like him.

Dr. Long’s interest in Robinson’s life after his baseball career lead him to discover how connected Robinson was to Martin Luther King Jr. Both had a voice, a passion and a dream for equality. “They were mutual heroes to each other,” Dr. Long said in his presentation to kick off Martin Luther King Jr. Week.

In a message about Jackie Robinson, King is quoted saying that Robinson, “was a sit-inner before sit-ins, a freedom rider before freedom rides.” Being one of the first to confront discrimination and face it head-on in an a social environment like baseball, Robinson earned the respect of many African Americans as he “inspired in a non-violent way…by turning the other cheek,” as Dr. Long said. But as Dr. Long explained Robinson was not a pacifist, he recognized the need for a push to equality in America and became an active player in disapproving prejudice outside of the baseball fields.

With his well-known name and unbreakable reputation, Robinson created connections with presidents, businessmen, and other leaders to represent the needs of African-American culture. Robinson tried his efforts in every aspect of culture, from discussing democracy with Eisenhower and working on Nixon’s campaign, Robinson made his voice heard in the government.

He also pushed for change by lobbying politicians on civil rights issues, working as a newspaper columnist, and working for the NAACP. Robinson also tried to influence and spread positivity through the community by working for integrated schools, delivering food for the needy, and even creating an African American bank, the Freedom National Bank.

Throughout this time, he teamed with Martin Luther King Jr. in the civil rights movement. Robinson was a speaker at some civil rights events and stood alongside of King at the Lincoln Memorial to greet the men and women at the March on Washington. Robinson looked upon King with respect saying that he, “realized that the world has always talked against great men. The best way to keep from getting talked about is to do nothing.”

Jackie Robinson was an influence for many to continuously push for equality. From Martin Luther King Jr. to other leaders, Robinson had an important role as a civil rights activist that sometimes goes unnoticed as Dr. Long said. Robinson continued to push for change up until his death, believing that equality was an issue that would never be completely settled.

With the controversial events that have happened in Ferguson, Mo. and New York City, Dr. Long ended on the note that “Jackie Robinson wanted us to believe that we still don’t have it ‘made’ either.”