Hank Aaron

Born Henry Louis Aaron in Mobile, Alabama, he rose from poverty to become baseball's greatest hitter. He spent 21 seasons with the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves and hit 755 home runs, surpassing Babe Ruth's record of 714 on April 8, 1974. As he approached Ruth's record, Aaron received thousands of racist letters and death threats from people who refused to see a Black man break a white hero's record. Despite the racism, Aaron persevered, set the record, and became a symbol of courage against racism.

Aaron's legacy is his quiet dignity in the face of racism and his unmatched athletic achievement. He became a symbol that Black excellence could not be denied. After baseball, he became an advocate for racial equality and civil rights.