On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson stepped onto Ebbets Field as a Brooklyn Dodger and changed American baseball forever. The first black man to play in the white major leagues, he had the courage to confront racism and fight for the rights of all black people, on and off the baseball diamond. He shattered the color barrier, and with tremendous skill and determination, he became not only one of the most legendary baseball players of all time, but also a great American hero. Half a century later, Jackie Robinson's extraordinary story remains an important contribution to America's favorite pastime and to American history.