Ken Burns, better known as the best documentary filmmaker of American history, already made an entire film about Baseball. But Jackie Robinson made an impact that reached far beyond the sport and the man that broke baseball’s color barrier is the subject of his next film.
“Without a doubt, the most important person in the history of baseball is Jackie Robinson,” Burns said Monday at the Television Critics Association Press Tour in Pasadena, reports USA Today.
Jackie Robinson is a two-part, four-hour film, which will air on April 11 and 12 on local PBS stations. It follows Robinson’s life from childhood, to the moment he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, to his life off the diamond as a civil rights pioneer. Although he died in 1972 at age 53, Major League Baseball continues to honor his importance, and his No. 45 is retired by every tram. The Dodgers also announced plans to unveil a statue outside Dodger Stadium this year.
Robinson’s widow, Rachel Robinson, attended the TCA. The 93-year-old was incredibly proud of Burns’ work and she is interviewed throughout the film.
“I didn't know how Ken was going to interpret Jack's life and the meaning that comes from that interpretation. Ken tried to understand him and his place in history,” Rachel Robinson said. During a screening, she said, “I had to hide my tears. I didn't want (anyone) to see me crying.”