Racism is even more likely to affect mental health than physical health, but it’s impossible to know how the racism that Robinson experienced affected his mental well-being. Racism is associated with negative impacts on mental health including depression, stress, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidal thoughts and alcohol use. In fact, mental and physical health are connected. Poor mental health can negatively affect the way the body responds to stress, and increase inflammation that can increase risks for diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and cancer.

How much has changed for Black baseball players since Robinson’s time? As of June 2020, approximately 8% of players and one owner in major league baseball were Black, making it difficult to challenge the very system that discriminates against them. However, contemporary players including Jason Heyward and Dominic Smith have described the pervasiveness of systemic racism in American society and their profession, and the importance of raising awareness of its pernicious effects.

In 2020, more than 150 Black former and current baseball players created The Players Alliance to use their “collective voice and platform to create increased opportunities for the Black community in every aspect of our game and beyond.” It seems that what is changing is the refusal to remain quiet, to be stoic in the face of racism and discrimination, both on the field and off.

As Smith noted on Twitter, “Silence kills.” Just as diabetes and hypertension kill silently, so does racism.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Tamra Burns Loeb, University of California, Los Angeles; Alicia Morehead-Gee, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, and Derek Novacek, University of California, Los Angeles

Read more:
How Jackie Robinson’s wife, Rachel, helped him break baseball’s color line

In a state wrought with racial tension, Jackie Robinson suited up for his first spring training game

Racial discrimination ages Black Americans faster, according to a 25-year-long study of families

Tamra Burns Loeb receives funding from the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine COVID-19 Research Award Program and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Derek Novacek receives funding from VA Advanced Fellowship in Mental Illness Research and Treatment as well as from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Alicia Morehead-Gee does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.