Later he would complete a master's degree in science from the University of Iowa. In 1941, Robinson married his college sweetheart Doris and landed the job of his dreams. That year, he coached his first football game at the Louisiana Negro Normal and Industrial Institute in the little northern Louisiana town of Grambling. The school's name was later changed to Grambling State.
In those days black players weren't allowed on most white college teams, especially in the segregated South. The school's president, Ralph Jones, wanted the tiny, underfunded college to gain a national reputation through its football program. That way it would be able to recruit nationwide and survive. Jones and Robinson worked together at this goal for decades.
Robinson became vice-president of athletics and built a strong athletic program from scratch. At first, Robinson coached football, basketball and baseball, for a monthly salary of $63.75. He led the drill team at halftime of football games, put the chalk lines on fields himself, and even wrote game stories for the local paper.
In Robinson's second season, his football team went undefeated and held its opponents scoreless in all nine games. Jones soon succeeded Robinson as baseball coach and created a school band.
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