The first African American Major League Baseball player was named Jack Roosevelt Robinson. His mother, siblings, and wife always called him “Jack.” It was not until Robinson signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers that he became known as “Jackie.” Because his world-wide fame is as “Jackie Robinson,” that is the name used throughout this narrative.
In the following pages the reader is directed at various places to refer to Historical Perspectives located in the back of the book. These Historical Perspectives provide deeper insights into the racial conditions, places, and people during Jackie’s time in uniform and his court-martial.
The analysis of, and conclusions about, the court-martial of Jackie Robinson are presented after a careful and lengthy study. However, not all readers will want to accept the author’s translations and interpretations; some will want more direct, first-hand information. Therefore, this book includes as Appendix the complete witness statements made by the participants and the entire transcript of the trial to enable readers to make their own decisions.