Call Him Jack: The Story of Jackie Robinson, Black Freedom Fighter

Co-written by Robinson experts Yohuru Williams and Michael G. Long, CALL HIM JACK: THE STORY OF JACKIE ROBINSON, BLACK FREEDOM FIGHTER is a detailed overview of the life of one of the most influential athlete-activists of all time. Set against the backdrop of the civil rights movement, the sweeping story covers far more than Robinson's playing career, tracing his lifelong journey into activism, advocacy, and philanthropy. Beginning with Jack's childhood in Pasadena, California, the biographers trace the trailblazer's evolution from multi-sport athletic phenom to widely revered and respected civil rights hero over the course of his relatively short life. Throughout the narrative, Jack is portrayed as someone who always stands up for himself and his fellow Black Americans. As he becomes a sports hero, he's torn between his desire to express his righteous anger toward the constant racism he faces, on the one hand, and his responsibility as a beloved role model and a Black celebrity that many White Americans embraced, on the other. Over time, the humble and stoic "Jackie," who was willing to swallow his pride and tolerate some amount of public abuse, gives way to the outspoken "Jack," who demands respect and dignity for himself and his community. Jack's career as an activist marching alongside civil rights icons like Martin Luther King Jr. and Bayard Rustin is given as much if not more attention than his on-field heroics, revealing a life that was much bigger than baseball.