Black History Month: Jackie Robinson Jackie Robinson, born in 1919, joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 at the age of 28, becoming the first African American to play in MLB in the modern era. The same year, he was awarded Rookie of the Year. In 1949, he was named the National League’s Most Valuable Player, becoming the first black player to win the award, and in 1962, he became the first African American to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. After retiring from baseball, he went on to s