List of first black major league Baseball players - wikipedia List of first black major league Baseball players Only includes players post-1946 ; for players from pre-color line baseball see Baseball color line § Origins. Below is a list of the first black players in Major League Baseball in chronological order, since the abolition of the Baseball color line. During the 1880s, Moses Fleetwood Walker, a black man, had played for the Toledo Blue Stockings of the American Association ( his brother Welday Walker also played a few games with the club ), and it was essentially against Fleetwood Walker that the line was originally drawn. African - Americans had been excluded from major league baseball since 1884, and from all of professional baseball since 1889. Key † Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame Contents 1 Overall 2 By team 3 See also 4 References Overall Player Team League Date Robinson, Jackie Jackie Robinson Brooklyn Dodgers NL 000000001947 - 04 - 15 - 0000 April 15, 1947 Doby, Larry Larry Doby Cleveland Indians AL 000000001947 - 07 - 05 - 0000 July 5, 1947 Thompson, Hank Hank Thompson St. Louis Browns AL 000000001947 - 07 - 17 - 0000 July 17, 1947 Brown, Willard Willard Brown St. Louis Browns AL 000000001947 - 07 - 19 - 0000 July 19, 1947 Bankhead, Dan Dan Bankhead Brooklyn Dodgers NL 000000001947 - 08 - 26 - 0000 August 26, 1947 Campanella, Roy Roy Campanella Brooklyn Dodgers NL 000000001948 - 04 - 20 - 0000 April 20, 1948 Paige, Satchel Satchel Paige Cleveland Indians AL 000000001948 - 07 - 09 - 0000 July 9, 1948 Miñoso, Minnie Minnie Miñoso Cleveland Indians AL 000000001949 - 04 - 19 - 0000 April 19, 1949 Newcombe, Don Don Newcombe Brooklyn Dodgers NL 000000001949 - 05 - 20 - 0000 May 20, 1949 Irvin, Monte Monte Irvin New York Giants NL 000000001949 - 07 - 08 - 0000 July 8, 1949 Easter, Luke Luke Easter Cleveland Indians AL 000000001949 - 08 - 11 - 0000 August 11, 1949 Jethroe, Sam Sam Jethroe Boston Braves NL 000000001950 - 04 - 18 - 0000 April 18, 1950 Márquez, Luis Luis Márquez Boston Braves NL 000000001951 - 04 - 18 - 0000 April 18, 1951 Noble, Ray Ray Noble New York Giants NL Wilson, Artie Artie Wilson New York Giants NL Simpson, Harry Harry Simpson Cleveland Indians AL 000000001951 - 04 - 21 - 0000 April 21, 1951 Mays, Willie Willie Mays New York Giants NL 000000001951 - 05 - 25 - 0000 May 25, 1951 Hairston, Sam Sam Hairston Chicago White Sox AL 000000001951 - 07 - 21 - 0000 July 21, 1951 Boyd, Bob Bob Boyd Chicago White Sox AL 000000001951 - 09 - 08 - 0000 September 8, 1951 Jones, Sam Sam Jones Cleveland Indians AL 000000001951 - 09 - 22 - 0000 September 22, 1951 Johnny Wright was the second black player signed to a contract by the Dodgers, and was on the roster of the 1946 Montreal Royals at the same time as Jackie Robinson. By team Teams are listed by franchise ; i.e., teams that relocated to a new city after already breaking the color line are not listed a second time. Expansion teams that joined the National and American Leagues after 1961 have been integrated from their first game and are not listed. Player Team League Date Robinson, Jackie Jackie Robinson Brooklyn Dodgers NL 000000001947 - 04 - 15 - 0000 April 15, 1947 Doby, Larry Larry Doby Cleveland Indians AL 000000001947 - 07 - 05 - 0000 July 5, 1947 Thompson, Hank Hank Thompson St. Louis Browns AL 000000001947 - 07 - 17 - 0000 July 17, 1947 Thompson, Hank Hank Thompson New York Giants NL 000000001949 - 07 - 08 - 0000 July 8, 1949 Irvin, Monte Monte Irvin Jethroe, Sam Sam Jethroe Boston Braves NL 000000001950 - 04 - 18 - 0000 April 18, 1950 Miñoso, Minnie Minnie Miñoso Chicago White Sox AL 000000001951 - 05 - 01 - 0000 May 1, 1951 Trice, Bob Bob Trice Philadelphia Athletics AL 000000001953 - 09 - 13 - 0000 September 13, 1953 Banks, Ernie Ernie Banks Chicago Cubs NL 000000001953 - 09 - 17 - 0000 September 17, 1953 Roberts, Curt Curt Roberts * Pittsburgh Pirates NL 000000001954 - 04 - 13 - 0000 April 13, 1954 Alston, Tom Tom Alston St. Louis Cardinals NL 000000001954 - 04 - 13 - 0000 April 13, 1954 Escalera, Nino Nino Escalera Cincinnati Reds NL 000000001954 - 04 - 17 - 0000 April 17, 1954 Harmon, Chuck Chuck Harmon Paula, Carlos Carlos Paula Washington Senators AL 000000001954 - 09 - 06 - 0000 September 6, 1954 Howard, Elston Elston Howard New York Yankees AL 000000001955 - 04 - 14 - 0000 April 14, 1955 Kennedy, John John Kennedy Philadelphia Phillies NL 000000001957 - 04 - 22 - 0000 April 22, 1957 Virgil, Sr., Ozzie Ozzie Virgil, Sr. Detroit Tigers AL 000000001958 - 06 - 06 - 0000 June 6, 1958 Green, Pumpsie Pumpsie Green Boston Red Sox AL 000000001959 - 07 - 21 - 0000 July 21, 1959 * Major League Baseball recognizes Curt Roberts as the Pirates ' first black player, however Carlos Bernier of Puerto Rico, also a black man, debuted on April 22, 1953. ‡ Thompson and Irvin broke in with the Giants during the same game on July 8, 1949. Hank was the starting third baseman, and Monte pinch hit in the eighth. See also African American portal Baseball portal History of baseball in the United States Negro league baseball List of Negro League baseball players List of first black players for European national football teams References ^ Jump up to : Men Kleinknecht. `` Integration of Baseball After World War II ''. Society for American Baseball Research. Jump up ^ O'Connell, Jack ( 2007 - 04 - 13 ). `` Robinson 's many peers follow his lead ''. MLB.com. Retrieved 2007 - 10 - 11. Jump up ^ http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100511&content_id=9962586&vkey=news_cin&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin Jump up ^ Tygiel, Jules ( 1983 ), Baseball 's Great Experiment : Jackie Robinson and His Legacy, New York : Oxford University Press, p. 329, ISBN 0195033000 Jump up ^ http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/opinion/perspectives/carlos-bernier-more-than-a-footnote-683364/ Negro league baseball List of players ( A -- D / E -- L / M -- R / S -- Z ) First black players in MLB Color line List of league champions Negro World Series East -- West All - Star Game American Series Museum List of teams by state Major independent teams Pre-1920 teams Algona Brownies All Cubans All Nations Austin Black Senators Birmingham Giants Chicago Columbia Giants Chicago Unions Chicago Union Giants - Leland Giants Cuban Giants Cuban X-Giants French Lick Plutos Lincoln Stars Minneapolis Keystones New York Gorhams Page Fence Giants Philadelphia Giants Philadelphia Pythians San Antonio Black Bronchos St. Paul Colored Gophers West Baden Sprudels Post-1920 teams Bismarck Churchills Boston Royal Giants Brooklyn Bushwicks Cuban House of David Ethiopian Clowns Gilkerson 's Union Giants Globe Trotters Illinois Giants Jamestown Red Sox Mineola Black Spiders Mobile Black Bears Philadelphia Tigers Zulu Cannibal Giants Major leagues and teams Negro National League ( 1920 -- 31 ) Birmingham Black Barons Chicago American Giants Chicago Giants Cleveland Browns Cleveland Elites Cleveland Hornets Cleveland Tate Stars Cleveland Tigers Columbus Buckeyes Cuban Stars ( West ) Dayton Marcos Detroit Stars Indianapolis ABCs Kansas City Monarchs Louisville White Sox Memphis Red Sox Milwaukee Bears Cleveland Cubs - Nashville Elite Giants Pittsburgh Keystones St. Louis Giants - St. Louis Stars Toledo Tigers Eastern Colored League ( 1923 -- 28 ) Bacharach Giants Baltimore Black Sox Brooklyn Royal Giants Cuban Stars ( East ) Harrisburg Giants Hilldale Club Homestead Grays Lincoln Giants Newark Stars Washington Potomacs American Negro League ( 1929 ) Bacharach Giants Baltimore Black Sox Cuban Stars ( East ) Hilldale Club Homestead Grays Lincoln Giants East -- West League ( 1932 ) Baltimore Black Sox Cleveland Stars Cuban Stars ( West ) Detroit Wolves Hilldale Club Homestead Grays Newark Browns Washington Pilots Negro Southern League ( 1932 ) Cole 's American Giants Indianapolis ABCs Louisville Black Caps - Columbus Turfs Memphis Red Sox Monroe Monarchs Montgomery Grey Sox Nashville Elite Giants 2nd Negro National League ( 1933 -- 48 ) Bacharach Giants Baltimore Black Sox Baltimore Elite Giants Cole 's American Giants Cleveland Red Sox Columbus Blue Birds - Akron Black Tyrites - Cleveland Giants Detroit Stars ( Washington ) Homestead Grays New York Black Yankees New York Cubans Newark Eagles Philadelphia Stars Pittsburgh Crawfords Washington Black Senators Negro American League ( 1937 -- 60s ) Atlanta Black Crackers Baltimore Elite Giants Birmingham Black Barons Chicago American Giants Cincinnati Tigers Cleveland Buckeyes - Louisville Buckeyes Detroit Stars Houston Eagles Indianapolis ABCs Indianapolis Athletics Indianapolis Clowns Indianapolis Crawfords Jacksonville Red Caps - Cleveland Bears Kansas City Monarchs Memphis Red Sox New Orleans Crescent Stars New York Cubans Philadelphia Stars St. Louis Stars Note : All teams that played in an organized league listed above also played as an independent or barnstorming team before, during, and / or after joining a league. - also played in NNL - also played in ECL - also played in ANL - also played in EWL - also played in NSL - also played in NNL2 - also played in NAL Other leagues Proto - leagues Southern League of Colored Base Ballists ( 1886 ) National Colored Base Ball League ( 1887 ) International League of Independent Professional Base Ball Clubs ( 1906 ) National Association of Colored Baseball Clubs of the United States and Cuba ( 1907 -- 09 ) Minor leagues Negro Southern League ( 1920 -- 36 ) Texas Colored League ( 1919 -- 26 ) Texas -- Louisiana League ( 1931 ) Texas Negro League ( 1924 -- 31 ) Texas -- Oklahoma Negro League ( 1933 -- 35 ) Negro Major Baseball League of America ( 1942 ) Negro Southern League ( 1945 -- 51 ) Post-integration United States Baseball League ( 1945 -- 46 ) West Coast Negro Baseball League ( 1946 ) Baseball Association of America ( 1949 ) Negro American League ( 1951 -- 60 ) - Does not include the 1932 season for the Negro Southern League as it was considered a de facto major league that season. - The Negro American League was a major league from 1937 until 1950. 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Question: who was the first african american to play in the major leagues
Answer: Jackie Robinson