"Life is not a spectator sport.... If you're going to spend...."by Jackie Robinson, 1964

"Life is not a spectator sport. . . . If you're going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on, in my opinion you're escaping your life."

-- Jackie Robinson, 1964

Pasted from <http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured_documents/jackie_robinson_letter/> 

This following letter was written to President of America by Jackie Robinson. For complete information, please follow the link above: This is not in its original format. 

May 13, 1958

The President

The White House

Washington, DC.

My dear Mr. President:

I was sitting in the audience at the Summit Meeting of Negro

Leaders yesterday when you said we must have patience. On

hearing you say this, I felt like standing up and saying, “Oh

not Not again.”

I respctfully reziind yàu sir, that we have been the most

patient of all people. When you said we must have self-

respect, I wondered hew we could have self-respect and rem

ain patient considering the treatment accorded us through

the years.

17 million Negroes cannot do as you suggest and. wait for the

hearts of men to change. We want to enjoy now the rights

that we feel we are entitled to as Americans. This we cann

ot do unless we pursue aggressively goals which all othcr

Americans achieved over 150 years ago.

As the chief executive of our nation, I respectfully suggest

that you unwittingly crush the spirit of freedom in Negroes

by constantly urging forbearance and give hope to those pro-

segregation leaders like Governor Faubus who would take

from us even those freedoms we now enjoy. Your own exp

erience with Governor Faubus is proof enough that for-’

bearance and not eventual integration is the goal. the pro-

segregation leaders seek.

In my view, an unequivocal statement backed up by action

such as you demonstrated you could take last fall in deal-

MAY26 1958

For complete article please follow link above: