Jackie Robinson’s legacy was tarnished by Donald Trump. How is this preventing DEI? | Opinion
The attack on programs promoting diversity equity and inclusion (DEI) resurfaces the age-old wisdom that we stand on the shoulders of those who’ve come before. Not only should we use the heroes of the past as a foundation, but we must preserve legacies that shaped our world today.
I looked at the Trump administration’s attack on DEI programs with the hope that certain historical figures would be safe from this radical witch hunt. For me, Jackie Robinson was one of the first people that I knew was a hero. His time in the Army in the 1940s and then being the Black player in modern Major League Baseball should have granted him an exemption from Trump’s purge of material that uplifts the contributions of Black and brown people in our country’s history.
But like most everything else related to Trump, there is no bottom. My hope was proven wrong.
Earlier this week an article dedicated to Robinson’s accomplishments and background serving in the U.S. military was taken down from the Department of Defense website. After intense criticism, it was restored.
And it’s not just Robinson who is getting their contributions erased. Native American soldier Ira Hayes was memorialized on the website as one of the six flag raisers in a powerful World War II photo, but now the page shows a 404 error message.
What does taking down the accomplishments of Black and brown people have to do with diversity equity and inclusion? I’ll tell you, absolutely nothing.
I fear for the future of Robinson’s legacy. When I was a kid, his picture hung in every hallway in every school I attended, from elementary all the way to high school. This was a reminder that our country includes those who rose to fight racial oppression.
To see Robinson being erased by DEI politics was insulting.
It will be a long time before Trump and his administration take down an article about a white Army vet.
The witch hunt driving Trump and his conservative followers is predicated on the belief that DEI means giving an unqualified person of color a job or title over a more qualified white person. Even as he was stealing bases and hitting home runs, Robinson was derided by people who would probably support Trump today. He was told that he wasn’t worthy. That attitude is now backed by a President using his power to erase the accomplishments of deserving historical figures and everyday people.
White Americans may make up the majority of our country but they are not all there is to our country. The goal for us rational-thinking people is to use our platforms to remind everyone that Black and brown people can be heroes too.
This story was originally published March 22, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Jackie Robinson’s legacy was tarnished by Donald Trump. How is this preventing DEI? | Opinion."
