Every generation will have their takeaway from a recurring annual event that mirrors their perspective and the climate of their lives. Jackie Robinson Day 2025, baseball’s day of reflection, has crossed paths with a dark political movement. One that looks to erase any reference to the struggle that had to be fought to overcome the injustices that were a way of life in America.

With Los Angeles on the schedule, the Colorado Rockies were guests of the LA Dodgers on Jackie Robinson Day Tuesday. The ceremonial event diverted the Rockies from their historically bad start to the season and, for a moment, gave them a chance to pay homage to the cultural icon.

Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts invited Bud Black and his team to participate in what has become a tradition at the site of the Jackie Robinson statue outside of center field before the game. There, Roberts and guests shared their thoughts on Jackie Robinson Day. Family members of Robinson were on hand, with the esteemed sports legend Kareem Abdul Jabbar as the key speaker.

It was the 78th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball. Still, it was the first under the new political administration to limit the language that could be used, banning keywords from government sites. Many changes have occurred in the new political climate since Jackie Robinson Day one year ago.

Robinson, who served his country in the military, had his story temporarily removed from the Department of Defense website. This measure aligned with a series of events under the new administration. It started with closing the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion offices on January 20th, day one of the new administration.

The latest executive order signed by President Trump on March 27th, titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,”  seeks to reevaluate exhibits in the African American Museum of History. The exact order calls for, as stated, take action to reinstate the pre-existing monuments, memorials, statues, markers, or similar properties, as appropriate and consistent with 43 U.S.C. 1451 et seq., 54 U.S.C. 100101 et seq., and other applicable law….”

The executive order thus opens the door to having Confederate statues to be returned or reinstated if they were removed. 167 Confederates have been removed or renamed since the 2020 protest, although not all were on federal sites. More than 2000 Confederate symbols still exist, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

The new landscape in the age of the new administration has made mere mention of race relations a topic to tip-toe around, making Jackie Robinson a sensitive topic. Even the updates to the MLB website have removed the words “racism” and “color barrier” from the verbiage on the Jackie Robinson website references.

“Jackie Robinson transcends any debate that’s going on in today’s society about issues surrounding DEI,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a recent interview. “What Jackie Robinson stands for was moving us past an overt kind of segregation that I don’t believe anybody actually supports today.”

The Rockies and Dodgers managers spoke directly about addressing Jackie Robinson in this political climate. Manager Bud Black spoke directly to the Denver Sports Report on his thoughts regarding the observation of Jackie Robinson Day.  

“For me, I think everybody looks at this differently,’ said Black. “I think collectively, the baseball world recognizes what Jackie did. I think that’s important. I mean, that’s what we do. We’re in this business and our baseball bubble, but I think what baseball does outwardly sends a great message to the country.”

Black also spoke about the assembly at the Jackie Robinson statue earlier in the day. “Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, what a treat for so many of us. And [for] him to share stories of his relationship with Jackie, and what Jackie meant to him as a young man. … I think what’s great is the national scope of this day, across the baseball landscape. And also, our country, who follow baseball and what this game means, and what Jackie meant, just socially and culturally to our country.” Many Rockies players also spoke on the importance of Jackie Robinson in a video montage on the Rockies website.

Dodgers Manager David Roberts was thrilled that Black and the Rockies agreed to be a part of the ceremony at the statue and spoke to a media throng in the dugout.

“I’d like to think it’s a continued wakeup call for everyone, and to take step back and appreciate what made our country a people who shaped our country.” Roberts said. “This country needs a wakeup call. And I kind of touched on it a little bit today, where this not a one day situation. It’s Jackie Robinson’s day breaking the color barrier, but this is like an everyday sort of mindset appreciation. But, for our players, the Rockies to show up, everyone represented. Seeing those young Robinson scholars was great.”

The days’ events come just over a week after the Dodgers visited the White House in Washington D.C. and were congratulated by President Trump. Roberts also addressed the controversy the visit stirred.

“I don’t personally view it as talking out of both sides of our mouth,” Roberts said about accepting the visit. “I understand how people feel that way. But do think that supporting our country, staying unified aligned, is what I believe in personally. And so, again I just believe in doing things the right way. And people can have their opinions on what we did last week. But I do know that we stand unified and we all have different stories and backgrounds, and different economic and political believes. But I was proud we all stood together.”

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