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The Defense Department temporarily removed and then restored a webpage recognizing the military service of baseball legend Jackie Robinson, as part of a broader effort to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) content from its online platforms. The move, part of a February 26 Pentagon directive, has sparked backlash over the handling of historic military figures.
The page, part of the Pentagon’s “Sports Heroes Who Served” series, was inaccessible Wednesday morning, displaying a “Page Not Found” error with a modified URL that included “DEI” in the address. However, by the afternoon, it had been restored.
Pentagon’s DEI Content Purge Draws Criticism
The Pentagon’s recent digital refresh has led to the removal of several historically significant pages, including those dedicated to the Navajo Code Talkers, the Tuskegee Airmen, and the Marines at Iwo Jima. A Pentagon memo ordered the removal of “all DoD news and feature articles, photos, and videos that promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).”
Pentagon Press Secretary John Ullyot addressed the controversy, stating, “Everyone at the Defense Department loves Jackie Robinson, as well as the Navajo Code Talkers, the Tuskegee Airmen, the Marines at Iwo Jima and so many others — we salute them for their strong and in many cases heroic service to our country, full stop.”
However, he emphasized that the military does not highlight individuals based on “immutable characteristics, such as race, ethnicity, or sex,” but rather for their patriotism and service.
Robinson’s Military Service and Legacy
Before breaking Major League Baseball’s color barrier in 1947, Jackie Robinson was drafted into the Army in 1942 and assigned to a segregated cavalry unit at Fort Riley, Kansas. He later joined the 761st “Black Panthers” tank battalion at Fort Hood (now Fort Cavazos), where he faced a court-martial for refusing to sit at the back of an Army bus. He was later acquitted and honorably discharged in 1944.
His military service, like that of other historically significant figures, was shaped by the racial barriers of the time. The Defense Department’s webpage, now restored, details Robinson’s struggles and accomplishments. It notes that Brooklyn Dodgers club president Branch Rickey warned him he would have to endure racial abuse to integrate baseball successfully.
Ongoing Debate Over DEI in the Military
The removal and restoration of Robinson’s tribute page follows a similar incident involving Major General Charles Calvin Rogers, the highest-ranking Black recipient of the Medal of Honor. His webpage was also taken down but later reinstated. The Pentagon has defended its approach, stating that content falling outside the “clearly outlined scope” of the directive will be corrected to ensure historical recognition remains intact.
However, the Pentagon’s stance has left questions about how military history will be presented in the future. Earlier this year, the Air Force removed videos about the Tuskegee Airmen to review them for compliance with a Trump-era executive order against DEI initiatives. The videos were later restored with a focus on their “documented historic legacy and decorated valor.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth criticized the removals, calling them “malicious compliance” with the executive order. Alabama Senator Katie Britt echoed these concerns, urging the Pentagon to ensure that historic military figures receive proper recognition.
As the Defense Department continues its DEI content review, concerns remain about how the military will balance historical accuracy with policy changes.
