HISTORIX Vintage 1945 Jackie Robinson Poster Photo Print - 16x20 Inch Jackie Robinson in Kansas City Monarchs Uniform Vintage Portrait Photo Wall Art

Before breaking the color barrier in 1947, Jackie Robinson played for the Kansas City Monarchs, who were the oldest and most established team in the so-called Negro Baseball Leagues and also the first major league team to travel with lighting rigs to gain the ability to host and play games at night. The Monarchs were formed in 1920, and by the time Robinson joined the roster had become one of the most successful teams with two World Series titles and 12 League Championship Titles from their formation until the club shuttered in 1965. The Monarchs also had numerous Baseball Hall of Famers in their ranks. Jackie Robinson became the first African American baseball player to play in the Major Leagues when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Robinson remains one of the most iconic figures of American culture in the years following the conclusion of World War II. His contributions to the Civil Rights movement and the end of segregation across the nation cannot be underestimated, and his influence on the game of baseball is an enduring legacy and distinctive part of the game's history. In 1997 Major League Baseball retired the number 42 from all uniforms, and on April 15, every player wears the number in a tribute to Robinson's legacy. This distinctive photo of Robinson in 1945 captures a significant moment in the transition of American culture. Baseball continues to bring all citizens together and is a true part of the cultural fabric of American life since the nineteenth century.