Thursday meant a great deal for America, and this April 15 celebration had nothing to do with taxes.
Thursday was the first Jackie Robinson Day. From now on, the day will be celebrated by Major League Baseball, as it should be.
Jackie Robinson was an amazing athlete who was ahead of his time. His admittance as the first black man in Major League Baseball came before, and might have started, the civil rights movement.
''We traveled by train back then and on the first road trip, a few of us didn't want to sit with Jackie in the dining car,'' Bobby Bragan, Robinson's teammate said in an Associated Press report. ''But on the second trip, we were fighting to be the ones to sit with him. He turned us around like that.''
Most movements start by changing a few people's minds.
It is incredibly symbolic how a sport held dearly as America's pastime has gone beyond racial barriers and set an example for organizations across the nation.
''He changed -- not to sound smart -- he changed the complexion and the face of the game," Chicago Cubs manager Dusty Baker said in an AP report.
By honoring this man with a holiday, America is showing how thankful it is for tolerance, for talent and for diversity.
Celebrating this day should not end at the dugout or the stands. It should transcend down to child athletes, to school athletes and college athletes.
America has become a place to celebrate diversity in many arenas. Martin Luther King Jr. is celebrated for his peaceful protest and motivation. Black History Month is celebrated across the nation, helping educate Americans about an important part of the population.
America has made strides, but should make more moves to honor people of all backgrounds.
Every motivated, talented and influential person comes from somewhere, and chances are that somewhere is important to how that person became part of history.
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