Retirement

In the early 1940s, Jackie met nurse-in-training Rachel Isum when they were both attending UCLA. The couple was married on February 10, 1946. As Jackie made his career in the major leagues, the couple faced mounting racism, from insults to death threats. Jackie was on display for the whole country to judge, but Rachel and their three children: Jackie Jr., Sharon, and David  provided Jackie with the emotional support and sense of purpose essential for bearing the pressure during the many years of baseball Jackie endured. Later in life, both Jackie and Rachel became actively involved in the civil rights movement.

After baseball, Robinson became active in business and continued his work as an activist for social change. He worked as an executive for the Chock Full O' Nuts coffee company and restaurant chain and helped establish the African American-owned Freedom Bank. Jackie was a vocal champion for African American athletes, civil rights, and other social and political causes, serving on the board of the NAACP until 1967. In July 1949, he testified about discrimination before the House Un-American Activities Committee ​​​​​​​ In 1952, he publicly called out the New York Yankees as a racist organization for not having broken the color barrier five years after he began playing with the Dodgers. In 1970 Jackie Robinson Construction Company was founded to build housing for low-income families. In his later years, Robinson continued to lobby for greater racial integration in sports and all aspects of life.

This is a video of Jackie Robisnon speaking in Birmingham Alabama about a peaceful civil rights protest that took place. In this peotest the police felt neccesary to use force and brutality to shut it down when they had no right to do this to a peaceful protest. 1965.

 In 1947, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier that not only changed baseball, but changed the culture and society of America itself. Jackie expanded the fanbase of the Brooklyn Dodgers, since most blacks looked to Robinson for courage, and they saw Jackie as a hero. Through this he inspired many to follow in his footsteps like Hank Aaron who went into the MLB shortly after Jackie. Hank often talks about how Jackie inspired him to do what he did and how he idolized Jackie from the moment he first heard about him. Jackie also inspired Bill Russell who was one of the first black players to play professional Basketball. In his later days Bill often talks about how he was speechless the first time he saw Jackie, but soccer was also influenced by Jackie. In 1965 Albert Johanneson was the first black to ever play in a major soccer tournament all thanks to Jackie and his bravery.