Rachel Robinson
Encyclopedia
Jackie Robinson
Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
. She was born in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, and attended the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
. There, she met Jackie in 1941, and they married in 1946. A baby, Jackie Robinson, Jr., was born to her in November 1946. The Robinsons would later have a daughter, Sharon, and another son, David.
After Jackie Robinson's retirement from baseball, Rachel Robinson pursued her nursing career, eventually becoming an Assistant Professor at Yale School of Nursing
Yale School of Nursing
Established in 1923 in New Haven, Connecticut, U.S., Yale School of Nursing has become a leading school of nursing in the United States with a reputation for excellence in teaching, research and clinical practice. The school is ranked in the top ten graduate schools of nursing in the United States...
and later, the Director of Nursing
Director of nursing
A director of nursing is a registered nurse who supervises the care of all the patients at a health care facility. The director of nursing has special training beyond that of any clinical nurse for the position that pertains to health care management, and in some places, a director of nursing must...
at the Connecticut Mental Health Center.
In 1973, after Jackie died, Rachel founded the Jackie Robinson Foundation
Jackie Robinson Foundation
The Jackie Robinson Foundation is a non-profit organization which gives scholarships to minority youths for higher education, as well as preserving the legacy of Baseball Hall of Fame member, Jackie Robinson. The foundation was founded by Rachel Robinson, the wife of Jackie, in 1973, a couple of...
. In 2009, she received the UCLA Medal from Chancellor Gene Block for her lifetime achievements. The UCLA Medal is the university’s highest honor and was created to "honor those individuals who have made extraordinary and distinguished contributions to their professions, to higher education, to our society, and to the people of UCLA."
In 2007, she was awarded the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award
Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award
The Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award is awarded by the Commissioner of Major League Baseball to a group or individual who has made a "major impact on the sport" of baseball. It is not an annual award; rather, the Commissioner presents the trophy at his discretion. The trophy is a gold...
by Commissioner Bud Selig
Bud Selig
Allan Huber "Bud" Selig is the ninth and current Commissioner of Major League Baseball, having served in that capacity since 1992 as the acting commissioner, and as the official commissioner since 1998...
. On May 9, 2009, Robinson was awarded UCLA's highest honor, the UCLA Medal.
She resides on a 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) farm in Salem, Connecticut
Salem, Connecticut
Salem is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,858 at the 2000 census.- Pre-incorporation :The area was originally inhabited by Mohegans. The very first settlement of European origin in present-day Salem was deeded in 1664. In the early 18th century, more...
.
External links
- Jackie Robinson Foundation Website
- Timeline in the Life of Jackie and Rachel Robinson
- USA Today Q&A
- Rachel Robinson's oral history video excerpts at the National Visionary Leadership Project