According to Jessie Jackson, "A champion wins a World Series or an Olympic event and is hoisted on the shoulders of the fans. A hero carries the people on his shoulders." This is what made Jackie Robinson a hero to African-Americans. Robinson's achievement goes ... off the field. He didn't fail his community; "Robinson used his fame to speak out publicly for black equality. In 1949, he testified before the House Un-American Activities Committee, surprising them with a scathing condemnation of the racial discrimination embodied by the Jim Crow segregation laws of the South." As he said, "the ...

• Word Count: 2830
• Approx Pages: 11
• Grade Level: High School