The Library of Congress

Baseball and Jackie Robinson   Student Handout One: Introduction to Primary Sources

Read Primary and Secondary Sources and answer the following questions:

1. What is the difference between a primary and a secondary source?
2. Give two examples of each type of source that you are familiar with.

Primary Sources:

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2.  

Secondary Sources:

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2.  

Read Questions for Analyzing Primary Sources and give brief answers to questions 1-6 for each of these documents:

• Jackie Robinson's 1950 letter to Branch Rickey:

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2.  
3.  
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5.  
6.  

• Branch Rickey's 1956 speech to the "100-Percent Wrong Club":

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2.  
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6.  

Read Types of Primary Sources, answer these questions:

1. What type of primary source is Robinson’s letter?
2. What type of primary source is Rickey’s speech?