Sugar Ray Robinson, First of His Name
His victories, entrepreneurial spirit, and flamboyance in and out of the ring made Sugar Ray Robinson the quintessential modern athlete.
Paul McAllister is a History Ph.D. student at The Ohio State University. His research interests include Military History, African American History, and Modern U.S. History. His research looks at the impact of African American veterans on public health in the United States during the 20th century. He is a former managing editor of Picturing Black History.
Listen to Paul discuss Black history and his essay.
His victories, entrepreneurial spirit, and flamboyance in and out of the ring made Sugar Ray Robinson the quintessential modern athlete.
Before beginning his Hall of Fame baseball career, Jackie Robinson served as a second lieutenant in the United States Army, enduring a court martial in pursuit of equal rights for Black soldiers.
Hoping to court Black voters in the 1948 Presidential election, President Harry Truman issued Executive Order 9981, an act that significantly changed the armed forces and the Black experience in America.
From daring Civil War hero to Reconstruction-era political pioneer, the life of former slave Robert Smalls was as amazing as it was significant.
A remarkable career of selfless service to country and struggle for racial equality.
