The HISTORY Channel to Premiere ‘After Jackie’ in Association with MLB

The celebration of Jackie Robinson continues! Today marks the 75th anniversary of Jackie Robinson becoming the first African American baseball player to play in Major League Baseball. The man is not only an example and legend in the sports world, but he was also an icon and leader in the world of social justice and activism as Robinson faced a lot of racism and scrutiny during his 10-year career with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Although he was the first African American to play for The Show, he for sure was not the last. He opened the door for a wave of talented young Black players to showcase their skills on baseball’s biggest stage and many of them became some of the greatest baseball players of all time.

Per a press release sent to The Root, on Saturday, June 18, The HISTORY Channel is set to premiere the two-hour documentary, “After Jackie,” in association with MLB. It will tell the untold story of the second wave of Black players who took the majors by storm and continued the fight for racial equality.

Some of those players included: Bill White of the New York Giants, Curt Flood of the Cincinnati Reds and Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals. These men carried the torch that Jackie Robinson lit and advanced the status of Black players on and off the field and led the league toward greater roster integration and helped America’s favorite pastime change for the better.

The documentary is directed by critically-acclaimed producer and director Andre Gaines. The executive producers for the documentary include NBA star LeBron James, his business partner Maverick Carter and Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Stanley Nelson.

The film will feature interviews with White and Gibson, before his untimely death, and former and current players such as CC Sabathia, Mookie Betters, Ken Griffey Jr, Joe Torre, Dave Roberts, Al Downing and Tim McCarver.

The documentary will also include rare footage of Jackie Robinson.