April 15
Jackie Robinson Breaks Baseball's Color Barrier
On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson stepped onto Ebbets Field as a Brooklyn Dodger, breaking baseball's color line. Despite facing intense racial hostility, Robinson excelled, winning Rookie of the Year. His courage and talent opened doors for Black athletes across professional sports. Every April 15, all MLB players wear his number 42.
Ella Baker Founds SNCC
On April 15, 1960, Ella Baker organized a conference at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina, bringing together student sit-in leaders from across the South. The gathering led to the founding of SNCC, which became one of the most important organizations in the civil rights movement.
A. Philip Randolph Born
Born April 15, 1889, A. Philip Randolph organized the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first major Black labor union. His threat of a march on Washington in 1941 led to desegregation of defense industries, and he was the chief organizer of the 1963 March on Washington.