1940S
October 1945
Jackie Robinson is the first Black player to sign a formal major-league contract and joins the Montreal Royals minor league team for the 1946 season.
March 1946
Kenny Washington is the first Black player, in the modern era, to sign a contract in the National Football League. He played for the Los Angeles Rams.
April 1947
Jackie Robinson plays his first game as a Brooklyn Dodger.
July 1947
Larry Doby is the first Black player and pinch hitter in the American League for the Cleveland Indians.
Hank Thompson & Willard Brown join the St. Louis Browns as the team’s first Black players.
August 1947
Dan Bankhead
Dan Bankhead is the first Black pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
September 1947
Jackie Robinson and Dan Bankhead are the first Black players to appear in an MLB World Series.
Jackie Robinson wins the “Rookie of the Year” Award. He also led the National League in stolen bases with 29.
1948
Sam Lacy of The Baltimore Afro-American is the first Black sportswriter admitted to the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA).
April 1948
Roy Campanella
Roy Campanella becomes the first Black catcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
August 1948
Satchel Paige
Satchel Paige is the first Black pitcher in an American League game, Cleveland Indians vs. Chicago White Sox.
October 1948
Larry Doby is the first Black player to hit a home run in a World Series game.
May 1949
Don Newcombe
Don Newcombe joins the Brooklyn Dodgers.
July 1949
Monte Irvin and Hank Thompson join the New York Giants.
The All-Star Game’s color barrier is broken when Jackie Robinson (NL), Roy Campanella (NL), Don Newcombe (NL) and Larry Doby (AL) become the first Black players selected to play in the Midsummer Classic.
August 1949
Luke Easter
Luke Easter joins the Cleveland Indians.
November 1949
Jackie Robinson is the first Black player to win the “Most Valuable Player” Award.
1950S
Earl Lloyd (Washington Capitals) becomes the first Black player for the National Basketball Association.
Minnie Miñoso breaks the color barrier for the Chicago White Sox.
Willie Mays appears in his first game with the New York Giants.
July 1951
Sam Hairston
Sam Hairston joins the Chicago White Sox.
September 1951
Bob Boyd
Bob Boyd joins the Chicago White Sox.
Sam Jones and Harry Simpson join the Cleveland Indians.
Artie Wilson joins the New York Giants.
October 1951
Don Newcombe wins 20 games for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Monte Irvin, Hank Thompson and Willie Mays form the first All-Black outfield for the New York Giants.
April 1952
Buster Clarkson joins the Boston Braves.
Héctor Rodríguez joins the Chicago White Sox.
Quincy Trouppe joins the Cleveland Indians.
May 1952
Joe Black
Joe Black joins the Brooklyn Dodgers.
July 1952
Dave Pope
Dave Pope joins the Cleveland Indians.
August 1952
Sandy Amorós joins the Brooklyn Dodgers.
October 1952
Joe Black is the first Black pitcher to win a World Series game for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
April 1953
Carlos Bernier joins Pittsburgh Pirates.
Connie Johnson debuts with the Chicago White Sox.
Dave Hoskins joins the Cleveland Indians.
Billy Bruton and Jim Pendleton debut with the Milwaukee Braves.
Jim Gilliam joins the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Rubén Gómez debuts with the New York Giants.
May 1953
Toni Stone
Toni Stone joins the Indianapolis Clowns. She is the first of three women to play in the Negro Leagues.
July 1953
Al Smith joins the Cleveland Indians.
September 1953
Ernie Banks joins the Chicago Cubs.
Eugene Baker joins the Chicago Cubs.
Bob Trice
Bob Trice debuts with the Philadelphia Athletics.
April 1954
Henry Aaron
Henry Aaron and Charlie White join the Milwaukee Braves.
Vic Power debuts with Philadelphia Athletics.
Tom Alston joins the St. Louis Cardinals.
Chuck Harmon
Niño Escalera
Niño Escalera and Chuck Harmon integrate the Cincinnati Reds.
Jay Heard debuts for the Baltimore Orioles.
Curt Roberts joins the Pittsburgh Pirates.
José Santiago joins the Cleveland Indians.
May 1954
Bill Greason joins the St. Louis Cardinals.
August 1954
Joe Taylor debuts for the Philadelphia Athletics.
September 1954
Carlos Paula joins the Washington Senators.
Joe Durham joins the Baltimore Orioles.
April 1955
Roberto Clemente and Román Mejías join the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Elston Howard debuts for the New York Yankees.
Humberto Robinson and Roberto Vargas join the Milwaukee Braves.
Bob Thurman
Bob Thurman joins the Cincinnati Redlegs.
May 1955
Héctor López joins the Kansas City Athletics.
June 1955
Lino Donoso joins the Pittsburgh Pirates.
September 1955
Billy Harrell joins the Cleveland Indians.
Earl Battey joins the Chicago White Sox.
Julio Bécquer debuts for the Washington Senators.
October 1955
Roy Campanella wins his third National League “Most Valuable Player” Award.
April 1956
Luis Aparicio joins the Chicago White Sox.
Wes Covington debuts for the Milwaukee Braves.
Solly Drake joins the Chicago Cubs.
Charlie Neal debuts for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Frank Robinson and Pat Scantlebury join the Cincinnati Redlegs.
May 1956
Bill White debuts for the New York Giants.
Althea Gibson becomes the first Black athlete to win a Major tennis Grand Slam event, the French Championships (now known as the French Open).
June 1956
Félix Mantilla joins the Milwaukee Braves.
July 1956
Chico Fernández joins the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Charles Peete is promoted to the St. Louis Cardinals.
September 1956
Charlie Beamon debuts for the Baltimore Orioles.
Joe Caffie joins the Cleveland Indians.
Curt Flood debuts for the Cincinnati Redlegs.
Ozzie Virgil joins the New York Giants.
April 1957
John Irvin Kennedy debuts for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Larry Raines joins the Cleveland Indians.
André Rodgers and Valmy Thomas join the New York Giants.
René Valdés joins the Brooklyn Dodgers.
May 1957
Juan Pizzaro joins the Milwaukee Braves.
June 1957
John Roseboro debuts for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
August 1957
Lenny Green debuts for the Baltimore Orioles.
September 1957
Frank Barnes joins the St. Louis Cardinals.
Bennie Daniels joins the Pittsburgh Pirates.
January 1958
Willie O’Ree becomes the first Black player in the National Hockey League with the Boston Bruins.
April 1958
Orlando Cepeda and Willie Kirkland join the San Francisco Giants.
Jim “Mudcat” Grant joins the Cleveland Indians.
Pancho Herrera debuts for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Vada Pinson debuts for the Cincinnati Redlegs.
RC Stevens joins the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Tony Taylor joins the Chicago Cubs.
June 1958
Felipe Alou and Leon Wagner debut with the San Francisco Giants.
Rubén Amaro joins the St. Louis Cardinals.
August 1958
Orlando Peña joins the Cincinnati Redlegs.
September 1958
Ellis Burton debuts for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Henry Mason
Henry Mason joins the Philadelphia Phillies.
Willie Tasby joins the Baltimore Orioles.
April 1959
George Altman and Don Eaddy join the Chicago Cubs.
Bob Gibson
Bob Gibson plays his first game with the St. Louis Cardinals.
May 1959
Joe Christopher and Al Jackson join the Pittsburgh Pirates.
June 1959
Marshall Bridges and Dick Ricketts join the St. Louis Cardinals.
Lee Maye joins the Milwaukee Braves.
Maury Wills debuts for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
July 1959
Earl Wilson and Pumpsie Green
Pumpsie Green and Earl Wilson become the first Black players for the Boston Red Sox.
Willie McCovey debuts for the San Francisco Giants.
August 1959
José Pagán joins the San Francisco Giants.
Billy Williams debuts for the Chicago Cubs.
September 1959
Tommy Davis joins the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Jim Proctor plays for the Detroit Tigers.
1960S
April 1960
“Sweet” Lou Johnson joins the Chicago Cubs.
Walt Bond debuts for the Cleveland Indians.
July 1960
Juan Marichal joins the San Francisco Giants.
April 1961
Choo-Choo Coleman joins the Philadelphia Phillies.
September 1961
Lou Brock
Lou Brock joins the Chicago Cubs.
John Wyatt debuts for the Kansas City Athletics.
May 1962
John “Buck” O’Neil joins the Chicago Cubs as a coach.
June 1962
J.C. Hartman joins the Houston Colt .45s.
July 1962
Jackie Robinson is the first Black player enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
September 1962
Tony Oliva debuts for the Minnesota Twins.
Willie Stargell debuts for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
August 1963
George Smith debuts for the Detroit Tigers.
September 1963
Joe Morgan joins the Houston Colt .45s.
November 1963
Elston Howard is the first Black player to win the American League’s Most Valuable Player Award.
December 1963
Wendell Scott is the first Black driver to win a major NASCAR event.
April 1964
Willie Mays is named captain of the San Francisco Giants.
March 1965
Jackie Robinson is the first Black network broadcaster when he signs with ABC’s baseball broadcast team.
July 1964
Tony Pérez joins the Cincinnati Reds.
September 1965
Ferguson Jenkins joins the Philadelphia Phillies.
Paul Cassanova debuts for the Washington Senators.
Satchel Paige appears for the Kansas City Athletics versus the Boston Red Sox.
October 1965
Jim “Mudcat” Grant wins 20 games in a season and a World Series game.
April 1966
Emmett Ashford is the first Black umpire in a major-league game when the Cleveland Indians beat the Washington Senators 5-2.
October 1966
Frank Robinson wins the “Triple Crown” Award for hitting.
April 1967
Rod Carew debuts for the Minnesota Twins.
June 1967
Reggie Jackson joins the Kansas City Athletics.
June 1969
Ike Brown debuts with the Detroit Tigers.
1970S
September 1971
The Pittsburgh Pirates field an all-Black starting lineup.
June 1973
Dave Winfield debuts for the San Diego Padres.
April 1975
Frank Robinson is named manager of the Cleveland Indians.
July 1975
Arthur Ashe defeats Jimmy Conners to become the first Black man to win a Championship at Wimbledon.
September 1976
Bill Lucas is promoted to General Manager of the Atlanta Braves.