April 15, 2010

Washington, DC— Nevada Senator Harry Reid today released the following statement in honor of Jackie Robinson Day.  Today marks the 63^rd anniversary of Robinson breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball, for which he was posthumously awarded a Congressional Gold Medal in 2005.

“Jackie Robinson’s success on the baseball field was remarkable, but he was more than just a baseball player.  Robinson opened minds and reshaped attitudes. He brought the early stages of the Civil Rights movement to my hometown of Searchlight, where I listened to the Brooklyn Dodgers on the radio.  Young people from New York to Nevada learned the lessons of equality through the lens of a baseball diamond and were inspired by his achievements.  Robinson was a true role model, and we will always remember the positive mark he made on our country.” 

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