Before Major League Baseball (MLB) accepted several deceased African American players who had been stars in the “Negro Leagues” as “counting” in baseball history’s “GOAT” discussions, opinions about great baseball players usually meant great white players. Nevertheless, African American stars were great athletes for what they accomplished in their careers, regardless of color. By no means was this always society’s accepted way of thinking.

Josh Gibson or Ty Cobb, Satchel Paige or Sandy Koufax? MLB rankings have been shuffled to account for recognized great African American players of the past. The time frame for this course will start in 1860 when African Americans first formed baseball teams during the Civil War and continue through the signing of Jackie Robinson with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 and the growing success of African American stars in the modern MLB.

This course will combine lecture with class discussion.

“Jackie Robinson” by Baseball Collection is licensed under CC BY 2.0.