[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 140 (Tuesday, October 7, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H9231-H9235]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AWARDING CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL TO JACKIE ROBINSON IN RECOGNITION OF
HIS MANY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NATION
Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 1900) to award a congressional gold medal to Jackie
Robinson (posthumously), in recognition of his many contributions to
the Nation, and to express the sense of the Congress that there should
be a national day in recognition of Jackie Robinson.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 1900
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Jackie Roosevelt Robinson was born on January 31, 1919,
in Cairo, Georgia, and was the youngest of 5 children.
(2) Jackie Robinson attended the University of California
Los Angeles where he starred in football, basketball,
baseball, and track. His remarkable skills earned him a
reputation as the best athlete in America.
(3) In 1947, Jackie Robinson was signed by the Brooklyn
Dodgers and became the first black player to play in Major
League Baseball. His signing is considered one of the most
significant moments in the history of professional sports in
America. For his remarkable performance on the field in his
first season, he won the National League's Rookie of the Year
Award.
(4) In 1949, Jackie Robinson was voted the National
League's Most Valuable Player by the Baseball Writers
Association of America.
(5) In 1962, Jackie Robinson was elected to the Baseball
Hall of Fame.
(6) Although the achievements of Jackie Robinson began with
athletics, they widened to have a profound influence on civil
and human rights in America.
(7) The signing of Jackie Robinson as the first black
player in Major League Baseball occurred before the United
States military was desegregated by President Harry Truman,
before the civil rights marches took place in the South, and
before the Supreme Court issued its historic ruling in Brown
v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954).
(8) The American public came to regard Jackie Robinson as a
person of exceptional fortitude, integrity, and athletic
ability so rapidly that, by the end of 1947, he finished
ahead of President Harry Truman, General Dwight Eisenhower,
General Douglas MacArthur, and Bob Hope in a national poll
for the most popular person in America, finishing only behind
Bing Crosby.
(9) Jackie Robinson was named vice president of Chock Full
O' Nuts in 1957 and later co-founded the Freedom National
Bank of Harlem.
(10) Leading by example, Jackie Robinson influenced many of
the greatest political leaders in America.
(11) Jackie Robinson worked tirelessly with a number of
religious and civic organizations to better the lives of all
Americans.
(12) The life and principles of Jackie Robinson are the
basis of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, which keeps his
memory alive by providing children of low-income families
with leadership and educational opportunities.
(13) The legacy and personal achievements of Jackie
Robinson, as an athlete, a business leader, and a citizen,
have had a lasting and positive influence on the advancement
of civil rights in the United States.
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
(a) Presentation Authorized.--The President is authorized
to present, on behalf of the Congress, to the family of
Jackie Robinson, a gold medal of appropriate design in
recognition of the many contributions of Jackie Robinson to
the Nation.
(b) Design and Striking.--For purposes of the presentation
referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury
(in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall strike a
gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions,
to be determined by the Secretary.
SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
Under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe, the
Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the
gold medal struck under section 2 at a price sufficient to
cover the costs of the medals, including labor, materials,
dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses.
SEC. 4. STATUS AS NATIONAL MEDALS.
The medals struck under this Act are national medals for
purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be charged against the United States Mint Public
Enterprise Fund an amount not to exceed $30,000 to pay for
the cost of the medal authorized under section 2.
(b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of
duplicate bronze medals under section 3 shall be deposited in
the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
SEC. 6. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of the Congress that--
(1) there should be designated a national day for the
purpose of recognizing the accomplishments of Jackie
Robinson; and
(2) the President should issue a proclamation calling on
the people of the United States to observe the day with
appropriate ceremonies and activities.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. King) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) each will
control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York (Mr. King).
General Leave
Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend
their remarks on H.R. 1900, and to insert extraneous material thereon.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, this is a piece of legislation which is long overdue. If
there was anyone over the past half century that has warranted the
Congressional Gold Medal, it is Jackie Robinson. The reason this
legislation is on the floor today, the reason it has advanced this far
is because of the efforts of the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr.
Neal), the man who initiated this legislation, who has worked
relentlessly to get the amount of support necessary to bring it to the
floor. I commend the gentleman for it, and I thank him for giving me an
opportunity to sign onto the bill as the lead cosponsor.
I have a personal interest because as a young kid growing up in New
York, Jackie Robinson was certainly one of my heroes. I was a Brooklyn
Dodgers fan, I attended many games at Ebbets Field, and the gentleman
from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal) thinks I fantasize these things, but
these are true. As a kid, there is probably no ball player who excited
New York in that era more than Jackie Robinson. He really just caused
all attention to be focused on himself, both through his ability and
also because of his dynamism. The first game I went to, Jackie Robinson
scored the winning run in the 10th inning. I saw him play a number of
positions. He was on six World Series teams with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
He was a major player when they won the World Series in 1955, he was a
perennial All-Star in the National League, and he really excelled as a
ball player. And after he retired, he was elected to the Hall of Fame.
Of course, he was not just an outstanding ball player; he will go
down in history for the fact and what he did in breaking the color
barrier in the United States. When he broke into organized baseball in
1946 in the minor leagues and in 1947 in the major leagues with the
Brooklyn Dodgers, baseball truly was the national pastime. All
attention was focused on organized baseball, and there were no African
Americans whatsoever allowed into organized baseball.
When Jackie Robinson broke that barrier, he really broke barriers
throughout the country and set an example and a standard that our
country has been attempting to live up to ever since.
I mentioned that as a kid I used to follow Jackie Robinson as a ball
player. It is only as I became older that I
[[Page H9232]]
realized the solitary anguish he must have been going through as a ball
player during those years for a while when he was the only African
American ball player at all. And even after other black players came
into the major leagues, it was Jackie Robinson against whom so much of
the hatred and venom was aimed. What he had to go through, the way he
was attacked and criticized in stadium after stadium, it took enormous
courage on his part to stand up to that, and he did. He always showed
class and dignity. He was always tough, but he always lived up to the
highest ideals of Americanism. Because of that our society has advanced
as much as it has.
In awarding the Congressional Gold Medal, we try to single out those
individuals who have really made special contributions; and I cannot
think of anyone, whether in the world of sports, the civil rights
movement, or emerging American society, who has done more to make
contributions than Jackie Robinson.
On a personal note, as great as it was for me to watch Jackie
Robinson, I also had the anguish as a high school student from my high
school window watching them tear down Ebbets Field. To many people,
that marked the destruction of the Brooklyn Dodger image and tradition.
Mr. Speaker, the fact is, they could tear everything down, but no one
could ever tear down the image of Jackie Robinson; no one could ever
tear down the lasting impact that he has had on American society. So
this is, as I said, a resolution which is long overdue. It is
legislation that is long overdue, but it is something which is fully
warranted and deserved.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, first of all, let me state how proud I am to stand here
and manage the time on this important piece of legislation as a New
Yorker. Jackie Robinson, as the gentleman from New York (Mr. King)
pointed out, was as much a New Yorker as he was a baseball player.
I also want to state my admiration for the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Neal). The gentleman and I have had the opportunity
to work on many pieces of legislation during my 5 years here in
Congress; and I want to suggest that it takes a tremendous amount of
courage for a man from Massachusetts at this time, when a New York team
is poised to defeat a Massachusetts team in a playoff series which is
about to take place in a couple of days, to have the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Neal) offer this bill here today to honor someone
who became an honorary New Yorker we all appreciate. We really
appreciate the motivation and the efforts of the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Neal) to Jackie Robinson.
Baseball player Jack Roosevelt Robinson, who is popularly known as
Jackie Robinson, was born on January 31, 1919, in Cairo, Georgia, the
youngest of five children. He spent his formative years living in near
poverty in Pasadena, California, and later went on to attend the
University of California in Los Angeles. His athletic gifts came to the
fore when Jackie became the first athlete in UCLA history to letter in
four sports: baseball, football, basketball and track. As a result,
Jackie Robinson was considered one of the most versatile athletes of
his generation and went on to prove it when he played for the Kansas
City Monarchs in the Negro leagues and later signed a contract with the
Brooklyn Dodgers in 1945, the first African American to do so for the
majors in the 20th century.
With the Dodgers, Jackie excelled in his game and inspired a
generation of American fans and baseball players alike. The great home-
run hitter of the Atlanta Braves, Hank Aaron, once remembered Jackie
Robinson as an important influence in his life: ``I had just turned 20,
and Jackie told me the only way to be successful at anything was to go
out and do it. He said baseball was a game you played every day, not
once a week.''
Jackie's career statistics tell a remarkable story. He helped the
Brooklyn Dodgers win six pennants in 10 seasons. He was named Most
Valuable Player in 1949 when he scored 108 runs, 203 hits, 16 home
runs, and 124 RBIs. Jackie led the National League in stolen bases in
1947 and 1949 for a total career of 197. His career batting average was
.311.
For his achievements in the sport, he was inducted into the National
Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. Despite his remarkable achievements on
the baseball field, Jackie still had to contend with the insidious
racist environment of his time. While traveling with the Dodgers, he
could not always stay in the same hotels, nor eat at the same
restaurants as his white teammates. One park in Florida barred the
Dodgers from playing an exhibition game because of their inclusion of
Robinson on their roster.
At another point, the Cardinals threatened to strike rather than play
against Robinson and the Dodgers, but the National League president
intervened and the Cardinals capitulated.
Jackie Robinson received hate mail with death threats. Given the
racial injustices in America at the time and the racial injustices he
was subjected to as a black baseball player, it is no surprise that
Jackie Robinson would later turn his attention to fostering racial
justice in America. He urged Major League Baseball club owners to hire
African Americans to serve as managers, coaches, and administrators in
front-office positions. He traveled extensively to raise funds for the
NAACP and was a strong supporter of the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai
Brith.
After retiring from baseball, Jackie became a businessman. He was
vice president of Chock Full O'Nuts, chairman of the board and co-
founder of Freedom National Bank of Harlem between 1962 and 1972, and
founded a construction company in 1970.
In both banking and construction, he sought to improve the living
conditions of African Americans in urban areas. He also spoke out
against drug abuse in America. He was one of the great heroes of the
storied history of our national pastime. He was an inspiration to his
generation, and his pioneer spirit and legacy are an inspiration to all
of us and will be for many generations to come. His legacy continues to
be honored by the good work of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, which
his wife, Rachel, founded in 1973, one year after his death, which
helps college-bound minority youth in developing their potential. I
urge Members to support this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, regarding the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal)
and the courage he has shown, I think it is important for the record to
state that back in the years when Jackie Robinson was playing in the
World Series against the New York Yankees, I was rooting for Jackie
Robinson, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal) was rooting for
the New York Yankees.
In spite of that, we do believe in the ultimate power of redemption;
we are glad the gentleman is attempting to atone for his sins today by
advancing this legislation, and we certainly welcome him as we welcome
all sinners who return to the fold.
Seriously, Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley)
touched on many of these issues regarding Jackie Robinson. He was a man
who served the United States Army during World War II, he was an All-
American athlete in a number of sports at UCLA. He played any number of
positions, and started all of them. He showed enormous talent and
ability while he had this tremendous burden on him, the incredible
pressures, the hatred being launched against him; but despite that, he
continued to excel as an outstanding ball player throughout his career.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 7 minutes to the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Neal).
Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from
New York (Mr. King) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) for
the effort that they extended on the floor in getting the signatures to
bring us to this moment.
Mr. Speaker, our friend and colleague and hero, the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Lewis), noted just a few months ago that before there was
an integrated American military, there was Jackie Robinson.
[[Page H9233]]
{time} 1515
Before Brown v. Board of Education, there was Jackie Robinson. Before
the trauma and turbulence of events at the Edmond Pettus Bridge, there
was Jackie Robinson. Before there was a Civil Rights Act of 1964, there
was Jackie Robinson. And before the Voting Rights Act of 1965, there
was Jackie Robinson. I think that this House tries to honor those who
break a barrier, and that is precisely what we are doing today in
honoring Jackie Robinson.
Jackie Robinson noted that the great thing about athletics is that
you learn to act democracy, not just talk about it. I think he would in
some small degree take satisfaction today knowing that this House of
Representatives is not going to talk any longer about its legacy; we
are going to act on it.
For his many contributions to sports, to civil rights, and to our
Nation, Jackie Robinson deserves this important recognition. His
remarkable life transcended baseball and helped to transform a Nation
in the process.
As a baseball fan since my youth, I always admired his great talent.
He was, and by all objective measurements, a true American hero. I am
proud to be able to author this bipartisan legislation honoring a
trailblazing legend.
The leadership of Major League Baseball and in particular its
Commissioner, Bud Selig, and its President, Bob DuPuy, they also
deserve special recognition today as well as the many Members of this
House who faithfully secured the signatures to bring this matter up in
deserving recognition for Jackie Robinson. And I want to acknowledge
the role of Major League Baseball in the passage of this legislation.
And since I represent a portion of Massachusetts, let me recognize
the Boston Red Sox today who held a symposium on the life of Jackie
Robinson in January at Fenway Park, and it was the Red Sox who gave me
the enthusiasm and presented themselves as a consistent partner in our
efforts to pass this legislation.
Also, I want to thank the family of Jackie Robinson for their
unyielding support of this endeavor. Many of us had the opportunity
just a few weeks ago to meet Jackie's daughter, Sharon, and we came
away from that meeting knowing that she possessed the same qualities as
her dad: strength, courage and conviction. I want to thank the members
of that family and particularly Sharon for helping with this historic
achievement.
The Nation that we live in today, Mr. Speaker, is much more
egalitarian. Our sense of justice which we talked about for decades is
much closer to the truth today than it was when Jackie Robinson walked
to home plate. America has a much better vision of fairness today than
it did when Jackie Robinson stole home plate. He helped to transform
that game, but in the midst of transforming that game, just as
importantly, he helped to transform America.
Think of the legions of people who successfully play baseball today
who cannot imagine a nation where the premier player on the team could
not eat in the same restaurant with his teammates, could not secure a
reservation in the same hotel as his teammates, and yet on the next day
be the star and central attraction of that team. He not only changed
the game; he successfully changed the complexion of the game and
thereby helped change the complexion of America.
America, as I have indicated, has a much better sense of itself today
because of the barriers that were broken. We serve in a Congress that
is much more reflective today of this Nation than it would have been
when Jackie Robinson broke the barrier. Congress takes this rightful
moment, I think, to ensure that as we have deliberatively and time and
again created a bit of an obstacle to getting these things done so that
those who are undeserving might not secure this honor that we are going
to bestow on Jackie Robinson, and rightly so. But I thank Members on
both sides, the gentleman from New York (Mr. King) in particular, and
the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Oxley) as well; and on our side the people
who went out and got these signatures day in and day out to bring us to
this moment.
This is a really nice thing for the Robinson family. It is a great
thing for this Congress of the United States. But most importantly, it
is a great thing for the country we all love, the United States of
America.
Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from
the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen).
Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York
(Mr. Crowley) for yielding me this time.
It is a special honor and privilege today to rise in support of H.R.
1900, legislation sponsored by the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr.
Neal) to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the late, great Jackie
Robinson in recognition of his many contributions to the Nation, and to
express a sense of Congress that there should be a national day of
recognition in his name. I applaud my colleague for sponsoring the bill
which should be supported by everyone in this body.
Mr. Speaker, in the spring of 1947, Jackie Roosevelt Robinson played
his first game with the Brooklyn Dodgers, breaking down baseball's
decades-old color line and changing the face of baseball forever. Over
the past few years, I too have had the pleasure of working with Jackie
Robinson's older daughter, Sharon Robinson, on a number of activities
and programs of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, which continue his
legacy for our children and which has brought to my and many of my
colleagues' districts.
On a broader note, my constituents and I owe a debt of gratitude to
Jackie Robinson for opening the door and paving the way for all of us,
but especially for several Virgin Islands major leaguers like Valmy
Thomas, Elrod Hendricks, Al McBean, Elmo Plaskett, Horace Clarke, Jerry
Browne, Joe Christopher, Henry Cruz, Midre Cummings, Jose Morales, and
Calvin Pickering, as well as Bernie Williams whom we share with Puerto
Rico.
Mr. Speaker, the bill before us is a long overdue tribute, and I rise
on their behalf and on behalf of all Virgin Islanders. I only wish it
had been bestowed on Jackie Robinson while he was still alive.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1900.
Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, we have listened to statements today in support of this
legislation, in support of this great honor being awarded to a great
man, Jackie Robinson, with number 42 on his uniform, but who certainly
was first in the hearts of so many Americans.
I want to again emphasize my gratitude to the gentleman from
Massachusetts (Mr. Neal) for his efforts in bringing this forward and
also express the personal honor it is to me. When I was a kid growing
up in New York, I never thought I would have the opportunity to be
supporting legislation for one of my childhood heroes. So it really is
a great moment for this country, and I can speak on behalf of the many
millions of New Yorkers who lived during the 1940s and 1950s who were
thrilled by Jackie Robinson's excellence on the ball field.
But more important than that, I can speak for tens of millions of
Americans who will always be in his debt and will always have
tremendous gratitude to him for being such a pathfinder, for being so
courageous, for having the guts to go forward when very few others
would. I ask that this bill be passed.
I include in the Record a statement of Baseball Commissioner Bud
Selig.
Statement of Baseball Commissioner Alan H. Selig
I have often said that Jackie Robinson's entry into the Big
Leagues was Baseball's proudest moment and most powerful
social statement.
Today, the United States House of Representatives codifies
the historic importance of Jackie Robinson's legacy by
awarding, posthumously, its prestigious Congressional Gold
Medal to Jackie.
On behalf of Major League Baseball, I express my gratitude
to the House of Representatives for enacting this
legislation, to Congressmen Neal (D-MA) and King (R-NY) for
proposing the bill, to the nearly 300 House co-sponsors, and
especially to those members who worked hard to achieve the
bill's passage.
Before America's Armed Forces were integrated and before
the United States Supreme
[[Page H9234]]
Court struck down segregation, Jackie Robinson became the
first black man to step onto a Major League ball field. That
memorable day in 1947, in Brooklyn, New York, our National
Pastime truly achieved greatness. And people of color felt
the promise of greater freedoms to come.
In April of 1997, it was my great honor to retire Jackie
Robinson's Number 42 in perpetuity. It was the first time in
any sport that such a gesture was bestowed upon an athlete.
It was a recognition that Jackie Robinson was an exceptional
man who fought racism by exhibiting athletic greatness on the
ball field and grace off the field.
On behalf of Major League Baseball, Jackie's wife, Rachel,
his children Sharon and David, and Jackie's millions of fans,
I thank the United States House of Representatives for this
special and appropriate tribute to a great ballplayer and an
even greater human being.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the
accomplishments of Jackie Robinson, who richly deserves the award of a
Congressional Gold Medal as a pioneer in opening professional sports to
all Americans. Like my colleagues, I am proud to remember him as an
American hero.
But as a proud graduate of the University of California at Los
Angeles, I wanted to remind my colleagues that Jackie Robinson was
already known to American sports fans even before he made history by
joining the Brooklyn Dodgers. In fact, he is one of UCLA's most
distinguished alumni and was considered one of our nation's most
important athletes during his college days.
Robinson's true passion was athletics and he excelled at every sport
he tried. Regarded as the finest all-around athlete in the United
States during his lifetime, he was the only Bruin to earn varsity
letters in four sports: football, basketball, track, and baseball.
As a football player, at UCLA Robinson led the nation in punt return
average in 1939 (16.5 yards) and 1940 (21.0 yards) and his career
average of 18.8 yards ranks fourth in NCAA history. During his senior
year he led UCLA in rushing (383 yards), passing (444 yards), total
offense (827 yards), scoring (36 points) and punt returns (21.0 yards).
In his career, he rushed for 954 yards (5.9 average) and passed for 449
yards.
As a basketball player, Robinson led Pacific Coast Conference's
Southern Division in scoring in both 1940 (12.4 average in 12 league
games) and 1941 (11.1 average in 12 league games) and was named All-PCC
Southern Division in 1940.
Robinson's UCLA track career was abbreviated because he missed most
of the 1940 season while playing baseball, but he still managed to win
the NCAA title in the broad jump (24' 10\1/4\") as well as the broad
jump at the Pacific Coast Conference meet with a leap of 25' 0".
He did not even consider baseball his best sport, but in his first
collegiate game, he totaled four hits and stole four bases, including
home base.
Despite his achievements in the realm of sports, Robinson, like other
black athletes, was often confronted by the harsh realities of the
times. I am proud to say that race was not an issue on Bruin teams, but
in those days much of the rest of the nation wasn't as accepting. Ned
Mathews, a football teammate of Robinson, recalled an incident at
Stanford University where black athletes were turned away from dining
in a restaurant. The Bruins left. ``If they didn't fit, we didn't
fit,'' Mathews told the UCLA faculty newspaper, ``and that's the way it
went.''
The support of his UCLA teammates and the heroism Jackie Robinson
showed in facing this early discrimination would provide the foundation
for his history-making career in major-league baseball. Shortly after
his time in college, Robinson signed a contract with the Brooklyn
Dodgers, ending decades of discrimination against blacks in the major
leagues. In spite of enduring torment and abuse through much of his
professional career, he remains one of the sport's all-time athletic
stars. Robinson was posthumously named a charter member of UCLA's
Athletic Hall of Fame in 1984.
Robinson once said ``A life is not important except in the impact it
has on other lives.'' His impact on the sporting world and our nation
cannot be overstated. By showing us that athletes--and indeed all
Americans--should be judged by their talent and character rather than
their skin color, Jackie Robinson's life has brought us closer to
fulfilling our creed that ``all men are created equal.''
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R.
1900, a bill to award a congressional gold medal to Jackie Robinson
(posthumously), in recognition of his many contributions to the Nation,
and to express the sense of the Congress that there should be a
national day in recognition of Jackie Robinson. Mr. Robinson was not
only an amazing athlete he was a man of unsurpassed character and an
agent of social change. On behalf of the people of the 18th
Congressional District of Texas, I am pleased to be an original
cosponsor of this bill. By posthumously awarding the congressional gold
medal to Jackie Robinson, we are recognizing the achievements and the
life of an exceptional man.
Mr. Robinson was born in 1919 in the state of Georgia. His parents
were sharecroppers and he was the youngest of five children. During his
rise as a student, an athlete, and a national hero, he would travel
from coast to coast and from north to south across the country. While
attending the University of California Los Angeles he was the first
student to earn varsity letters in four sports; baseball, football,
basketball, and track.
In 1947, Jackie Robinson signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers and became
the first African American to play in Major League Baseball. During his
first season, he won the National League's Rookie of the Year Award. In
1949, Jackie Robinson was also voted the National League's Most
Valuable Player by the Baseball Writers Association of America.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to note that a few weeks ago this body had
occasion to honor Larry Doby. He was the second African American to
play Major League baseball and the first to pay in the American League.
It is wonderful that people's House should take time to honor both of
these national heroes.
Now, after the 1956 season, Mr. Robinson retired from the game of
baseball. In 1962, he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of
Fame. He was the first African American player to receive that honor.
Clearly, none can question Jackie Robinson's contributions to America's
greatest pastime but many are unfamiliar with his achievements off the
field of play.
Before entering Major League Baseball Jackie Robinson joined the
United States Army. He earned the rank of first lieutenant in the Army,
which was still segregated at that time. Mr. Robinson did not quietly
accept such segregation. Rather he protested the Army's discriminatory
practices. In fact, while stationed at Fort Hood, in Texas, Jackie
Robinson was arrested when he refused a bus driver's order to move to
the back of a bus. After court-martial, he was acquitted. Then, in
1944, Mr. Robinson received an honorable discharge from the Army.
Years later, after his career in baseball, Mr. Robinson dedicated
himself full-time to the cause of civil rights. In fact, from 1964 to
1968 he served as special assistant for civil rights to Governor Nelson
Rockefeller of New York. Mr. Robinson also worked to promote African
American business in Harlem. He even co-founded the Freedom National
Bank of Harlem.
Sadly, Mr. Robinson passed away in 1972. He was survived by family,
friends, and millions of fans. The epitaph inscribed on Mr. Robinson's
gravestone is one that he wrote himself. It reads: ``A life is not
important except in the impact it has on other lives.'' We thank Jackie
Robinson for his selflessness, for the permanent impact he made upon
our lives, and upon the basic fabric of this country. Mr. Speaker, we
thank Mr. Robinson and we honor him.
Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Jackie Robinson for
his contributions to this country. The grandson of a slave, Jackie
Robinson used his unmatched athletic talent to clear a path toward
equality. As the first African-American to play in Major League
Baseball, Mr. Robinson faced virulent opposition and oppressive racism.
Through the passion and excitement of excellent athletic performance,
Mr. Robinson carried the United States one step closer to racial
parity.
I am particularly proud of Jackie Robinson's connection to the city
of Pasadena. Mr. Robinson moved to Pasadena as a toddler, and grew up
in the shadow of the Rose Bowl. He was an exceptional teammate on the
sandlots, and a multi-sport standout at John Muir Technical High
School. At Pasadena Junior College and UCLA, he broke records in
basketball, baseball, football and track.
Jackie's older brother Mack was also a treasured citizen of Pasadena;
the Post Office on Lincoln Avenue bears his name. The Robinson family's
contributions to Pasadena echo beyond the realm of athletics to the
model they set for the community and the nation.
It seems fitting to honor Jackie Robinson in October, as competition
intensifies for the American and National League pennant races. Mr.
Speaker I urge passage of H.R. 1900, to award a Congressional Gold
Medal to Jackie Robinson, to recognize his powerful contributions to
the nation, and to express support for a national day in recognition of
one of Pasadena's greatest stars.
Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hefley). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. King) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1900.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
[[Page H9235]]
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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