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Jackie Robinson wears the Kansas City Monarchs uniform, 1945
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Jackie Robinson Breaks the Color Barrier
As with many aspects of life in late-19th century America, baseball was segregated. There were separate teams for black players because they were not allowed to play on white professional teams. In the late 1800s, professional African American players played on all-black teams such as the Cuban Giants. But some baseball managers and owners of Major League teams wanted to hire African Americans. In order to get around the rules, they listed some black players as Hispanic or Native American. Baseball remained a segregated sport well into the 1940s. In 1945, a talented young player named Jackie Robinson joined the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro American League. He would become baseball's "great experiment."
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