Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play in MLB. He was born in 1919 and grew up with 3 brothers and 1 sister. Robinson excelled in multiple sports in high school and college. In 1946, he joined the Dodgers after their owner Branch Rickey recruited him, making him the first black player in MLB despite facing discrimination. Robinson retired in 1956 and had 3 children. He broke baseball's color barrier and paved the way for future generations of African American baseball players.