Why Jackie Robinson once said he could not salute the flag

Jackie Robinson's daughter, Sharon Robinson, talks to CNN's Ana Cabrera about her new book, "Child of the Dream."

She remembers her father as a civil rights activist, and explains why he wrote in his autobiography that he had a difficult time saluting the American flag as a "black man in a white world."

63 comments

  1. I guess people will say he didn’t love his country.!🤷🏾‍♂️ But we know the country didn’t love him when he integrated baseball.

    1. @J. DIZZLE I am responding to people who commented to me. While i was AT WORK!!!!!!!! The NFL OBVIOUSLY FEELS THE SAME WAY. how is kapernicks career going?????? You all make your racists comments and expect nobody to call you out on it. It is what it is. Like i said. Check out candace owens and jesse lee peterson. 2 black Americans who can enlighten you.

    2. @irish buck well Jesse is a clown 🤡! A man who preaches not to have children outta wedlock, but he has one! Where I’m from we call that fake (hypocrite). Kap was railroaded, but history will celebrate him 100 years from now. See a man stands for something even if it costs him. Read Job in the Bible. But I’ve noticed how Jesse Lee ( a Black Man) has so many white male fans who hate Blacks to support his show. I have to give it to Jesse, he’s smart for tricking fickle racists to follow him lol

    3. @Supreme ARE you white or black. I noticed that your pic is a white man and your profile history is all african American. Its just strange since your so proud of you race. Yet you have a pic of a white male??

  2. Jackie Robinson a legendary sportsmen and a helI of a baseball player who despite the America of that time tried to keep him out he didn’t let it stop him from doing what he loves and his reasons for not saluting the flag is true and right!

    1. You can always salute the flag. The concept of America is a product of your mind born out of your own ideals as respect for individualism and liberty born out of Enlightenment ideals enshrined in our Constitution. The fact that it is not perfect or that our nation was forged out of the oppression of slavery only represents the malleability of our government and that perfection is a moving target when it comes to the ideals of liberty. Not saluting the flag, disrespecting the flag, or kneeling is nothing more than symbolic pretentiousness when you do not understand how innately valuable those principles are to the very act you’re participating in.

      Find another way to protest without taking edgy, agitator, reactionary actions just to get attention.

    2. @Mulinaster that’s what the flag means to you! Like an Nazi flag means one way to racists and another way to Jews. My Grandfather fought in WW2, but when he came back to his country he had to fight for his Rights! A country he fought for. In a country that tells us Columbus discovered America but people were already here, it has been evident through history that the American flag wasn’t intended to include every American. So to tell someone else how they should feel about a flag that wasn’t meant for them to be a part of. Is offensive on your behalf. But I respect your perspective, but your perspective was shaped by your reality. Most likely you’re white and to me I understand why you feel this way. All I ask is to look at it from other perspectives of the people who kneel.

    1. @Donald Trump
      “First of all, you can’t call yourself a ‘germophobe,’ when you’re out there raw-dogging porn stars.” – Michael Che, SNL

  3. America is deeper than the flag or some anthem. My service to my country was American for me. Protecting everyone was as American as apple pie for me. I fought so everyone could be free to say and do what they want (not hurting people obviously). You want to kneel for the anthem go ahead, you are against abortion go ahead, you want to be a democrat go ahead, you want to be a republican go ahead. The flag or the anthem doesn’t sum up America. The people do and that has sadly been forgotten by everyone.

    1. Warren Goss I did serve. USS Dubuque. She was an old ship. Decommissioned now. You’re entitled to say and believe what you want. That’s the beauty of America.

    2. Theron XL I did fight for freedom. I also fought for my freedom. What is freedom to you? Another aspect of freedom for me was the Navy paying for my college. I was freed from a continuous cycle of no one in my family going to school. My college degree was my personal freedom. A great paying job and being able to take care of my family is freedom. Thanks post 9/11 gi bill!

    3. Ell Huevudo oorah! I was on an LPD and served along side Marines on my deployments. I have the utmost respect for my marine brothers and sisters!

    1. @Aaron 🗣️you are a DUMB BASTARD. BLACKS were here already. Go open a real history book CAVEBEAST 🐒✊🏾

    2. @doobiewah357 🗣️you still having sex with you’re mom?😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂✊🏽✊🏽

  4. Any flag and anthem suppose to represent somethings (not just one thing)….when those things don’t exist anymore, then it’s just a piece of cloth and some music.

    1. @ame7272 Candace Owens is still alive. Thousands of black republicans still alive and well. Not sure what you are running your mouth about. Maybe your brain is stuck in 1860. Even if they did hang a black person in 2015 that doesn’t represent the opinions and values of a whole country. In 1850 they hung hundreds of black men not just one. I feel we have come a long way in improving race relations. One racist white person killing one black guy in 2015 doesnt mean the whole country is that way. Of course you want people who speak truth to be ignored. You have to keep your hate alive someway. Only people willing to admit both sides have done things wrong can fix this problem. You can spend the next 100 years blaming republicans for everything but you wont make any progress

    2. Joe Mincey it is not your country, it is “our” country that was taken from others, that is one reason while there will never be true peace. And your war to purge will bring more unrest, so you will never have it as you wish.

    3. @Jake independent voting shepherd again, both parties are doing g the samething. Today’s democrats are no different form times past, the thing is, they switched parties and now we have racism and bigotry in power. I don’t vote, I refuse to be a slave to any political party. Blacks need to figure out which of the two “massa” they want to follow, republican or democrat. What blacks don’t understand is, both parties need and want our votes, we need to give them a list of demands and hold their feet to the fire. We need our own party.

    1. @photoshopknight ” I don’t like fascists.” – Glad to hear it, but I never would have thought so just by reading your comments.

    2. @Tomandtob 1st thing he did for USA is save it from Hillary Clinton, next he make the public aware of the amount of rape that illegal aliens do on the way over! I’m well aware of the stagnant growth that was taking place under Obama, Trump cut unnecessary ridiculous regulations and supercharged are growth. You all laughed at him when he said he could get the 3% growth? Well you’re not laughing now are you. One of the most important things that he does is talk about the issues everybody else is too afraid to talk about

    3. @DeskAgent You support a guy that called Mexicans rapists and criminals and called brown/black majority countries areas infestations and shitholes.

    1. @Mario mario – so you now admit that you did not mean FLAG. Thanks for admitting that you were wrong when you said you meant flag. Your comment to jonathan redding goes further to prove that you were wrong about saying it meant FLAG.

      CASED CLOSED AGAIN. YOU LOST AGAIN.

    2. @Green Bastard – you seem to be the type who just runs away with you face a problem. How immature and childish of you. Most of us prefer to TRY TO FIX PROBLEMS. But if you want to run away like a child – go for it.

    3. @Jannett Snow – clearly it was not a typo because he has explained it several times and in several ways and never once said anything about it being a typo. Why do you have to act like his mommy???

  5. Dear CNN and friends,
    It’s a treat, and an honor to hear from the daughter of a historical and positive change in our history. 😌
    When I grew up my dad told me:
    “We are all the same on the inside, we are all people, no matter where we are from”. 💐
    I wish more families were brought up the same way.
    Lovely woman. 🌹
    Thank you!
    Michigan, USA
    Peace ✌

  6. In 1955, when I was seven years old, I referred to myself as being white. My father went to the desk and pulled out a piece of typing paper, put in on the table and placed my hand on it. “What color is that piece of paper?” he asked. “White,” I said. “Is your hand the same color as that paper?” he asked. “No,” I said. Sixty four years later, I sill am very uncomfortable calling myself white. When I notice, I see all people as the same color, just in darker or lighter shades.

  7. Hero is a termthat should be used sparingly
    Jackie Robinson is a true American hero…..
    God bless you Robinson family for carrying on his incredible legacy….

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.