The United States v. Jackie Robinson

A moving and inspiring nonfiction picture book about Jackie Robinson’s court martial trial-an important lesser-known moment in his lifetime of fighting prejudice with strength and grace. Students who have been introduced to this American hero from such books as Brad Meltzer’s I Am Jackie Robinson can take a deeper look at a key event in his life with The United States v. Jackie Robinson.

Jackie Robinson broke boundaries as the first African American player in Major League Baseball. But long before Jackie changed the world in a Dodger uniform, he did it in an army uniform.

As a soldier during World War II, Jackie experienced segregation every day-separate places for black soldiers to sit, to eat, and to live. When the army outlawed segregation on military posts and buses, things were supposed to change.

So when Jackie was ordered by a white bus driver to move to the back of a military bus, he refused. Instead of defending Jackie’s rights, the military police took him to trial. But Jackie would stand up for what was right, even when it was difficult to do.

This nonfiction picture book is a strong choice for sharing at home or in the classroom-as Booklist noted: A story that will appeal to both baseball fans and those looking for an interesting way to highlight lesser-known aspects of the fight for civil rights.

With an author’s note, a timeline, bibliography, and more, this book offers helpful resources for readers, teachers, and librarians to find out more about Jackie Robinson and the history of civil rights in the US.