Tuesday afternoon, Sharon Robinson, daughter of baseball legend Jackie Robinson, came to Merrill High School as this year’s Great Speaker Forum presenter. Sharon Robinson’s visit to Merrill is part of the “A Walk in Their Shoes” program.
Sharon spoke about her father’s life and how he helped chang
While speaking Sharon would click through her slide show that included many pictures of her father. Pictured are four photos showing Jackie Robinson in his early days in Major League Baseball as the ball gets thrown at his head.
Sharon Robinson talked about how her father and family used to receive death threats and mean letters while her father played baseball. She also noted that she remembers asking her mother if they ever got letters of support and was told that they got just as many or more letters of support. Pictured is a death threat that was sent to Jackie Robinson prior to him playing at Crosley Field.
Following his baseball career Jackie Robinson started to get more involved with the civil rights movement and would occasionally lend a hand to friend Martin Luther King Jr. at protests and even held a Jazz concert at his house to help raise money. Pictured is Martin Luther King Jr. as he stands next to Jackie Robinson and his wife Rachel Robinson.
e America both on and off the baseball field. Sharon is the author of several works of fiction and nonfiction, and has also written several books about her father. Pictured is Sharon Robinson as she talks to the audience about her father’s sports career.
Merrill’s Great Speaker Forum Committee began in 1978.
