African Americans are a demographic minority in the United States.
The first achievements by African Americans in various fields historically marked footholds, often leading to more widespread cultural change.
The shorthand phrase for this is "breaking the color barrier".
[1][2] The world of sports generally is invoked in the frequently cited example of Jackie Robinson, who became the first African American of the modern era to become a Major League Baseball player in 1947, after 60 years of segregated Negro leagues.
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