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Posted By: davidcycleback

The official Robinson website itself acknowledges that there were integrated Major League black players in the 19th century. The Negro League Player's Association, the Hall of Fame and the Library of Congress also recognize the existence of 1800s Major League black players. Their consensus is that Robinson was significant, not because he was the very first, but but because he broke a longstanding segregation that existed from the very late 19th century to 1946. He broke the 20th century's color barrier. As wikipedia says, Robinson was the first black MLB player of the "modern era."