Roberto Clemente
Baseball player Roberto Clemente was born in 1934 in Puerto Rico. In 1955, he moved to the U.S. and joined the Brooklyn Dodgers’ minor-league system. Clemente excelled quickly and was known for his powerful and accurate arm. His career took off when he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates, and he made his major- league debut in 1955. In 1960, he lead the Pirates to a World Series victory. After winning 12 Golden Glove awards, a Most Valuable Player award, and two World Series, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Throughout his career, Clemente faced constant racism from the public, who stereotyped him as lazy because of his ethnicity.
Still, he remained resilient. Clemente devoted much of his time and wealth to supporting the Black and Hispanic communities. During the off-seasons, he ran free clinics for youth in Puerto Rico and became closely involved with the U.S. civil rights movement. He continues to inspire Puerto Ricans and other underrepresented groups around the world.
