I want everybody to understand
â
I want everybody to understand that
I am an American Negro first before
I am a member of any political party.
â
Meaning
This quote means racial identity and the experience tied to it shaped his public life more deeply than party affiliation ever could.
About Author
Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson was an American baseball player and civil rights activist, famously breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball. His quotes often reflect courage, determination, and equality. Robinson inspires athletes, activists, and leaders to challenge injustice, persevere against adversity, and make a lasting impact in sports and society.
Related Quotes
â 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 wasting your life. â
This quote means life is meant for active participation, not passive watching. Standing aside from experience is a waste of living.
â Baseball is like a poker game. Nobody wants to quit when he's losing; nobody wants you to quit when you're ahead. â
This quote means competition has its own selfish momentum: losers want another chance, and winners are urged to keep going. Like poker, baseball feeds on advantage and hope.
â When I look back at what I had to go through in black baseball, I can only marvel at the many black players who stuck it out for years in the Jim Crow leagues because they had nowhere else to go. â
This quote honors the endurance of black players who remained in segregated baseball because they had no fair alternative. It recognizes resilience under injustice.