The old saying states that behind every successful man is a woman, but we’d like to adjust that saying to better fit modern times by saying that next to every successful man is a successful, unwavering woman. Rachel Robinson, who just recently turned 102, is far more than just the widow of a successful man — the baseball legend Jackie Robinson — she is a trailblazer in her own right whose life is defined by her own extraordinary contributions to the field of medicine, racial equality, and philanthropic work.
By being born in Los Angeles, California, in 1922, Rachel Robinson, born Rachel Isum, came to a world that’s very different from today’s — it was a time when opportunities for women, particularly Black women, were severely limited. Yet, that didn’t stop her from pursuing a career in nursing. She attended Manual Arts High School and the University of California (UCLA), where she met the baseball legend Jackie Robinson in 1941 before his baseball eligibility at the university ran out.
In 1945, Rachel graduated from UCLA with a degree in nursing, which is an impressive feat. Back then, societal norms greatly stifled women’s academic and professional ambitions, and things were even harder for women of color, as they also had to fight systemic racism. However, Rachel’s determination allowed her to shatter all the limitations imposed upon her by said societal norms. Following her graduation, Rachel married Jackie Robinson in 1946, one year before he broke into the big leagues as the first Black baseball player to play in the MLB.
She and Jackie had three children, Jackie Jr., Sharon, and David, the latter of whom now has ten kids of his own. After Jackie Robinson — portrayed masterfully by Chadwick Boseman in the movie 42 — retired from professional baseball in 1956, Rachel, having established herself as a capable nurse, decided to pursue her education even further. She went on to earn a master’s degree in psychiatric nursing from New York University (NYU) in 1959. This not only enhanced her professional credentials but also expanded her understanding of the human condition.
Her advanced studies laid solid groundwork for her future contributions to the field of mental health and a place at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where she worked as a researcher and clinician at the College’s Department of Social and Community Psychiatry. After spending five years there, she became an assistant professor at the Yale School of Nursing and later the director of nursing at Connecticut Mental Health Center. Her work was based on the belief in the importance of treating the whole person, both physically and psychically — a belief that continues to influence modern practices to this day.
Yet, perhaps one of Rachel’s most enduring legacies are her roles as a civil rights activist and philanthropist. Beginning in 1963, Rachel and Jackie Robinson would regularly host legendary jazz concerts at their come in Connecticut. These events served as fundraisers for jailed civil rights activists who tirelessly fought against racial discrimination. She contributed to the fight against racial inequalities in her own way, though she didn’t just protest against injustice. Her approach to activism was about creating lasting structures that would support minority communities, which is something she later realized through her philanthropic work.
Following the premature death of Jackie Robinson due to a heart attack in 1972 (just 53 years old), Rachel Robinson incorporated the Jackie Robinson Development Corporation. This real estate development company focused on funding and developing housing for low- to moderate-income families. A year later, in 1973, she also founded the Jackie Robinson Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing scholarships and leadership opportunities to Black students, with a clear mission to tear down barriers that hinder their academic and professional success.
Over the decades, the Jackie Robinson Foundation has supported over a thousand minority students, boasting an impressive 97% graduation rate among its scholars. This foundation allowed Rachel Robinson, who has been an ardent crusader for opportunity through education, to invest in the future of countless young individuals coming from communities that have historically been marginalized. However, it’s also important to recognize that Rachel Robinson’s contributions go well beyond her professional and descriptive titles of a nurse, an activist, and a philanthropist.
Her contributions to our society have resonated through the decades and continue to resonate still, illustrating the amount of impact a single individual can have on a society. So, while history often casts her into the shadows of her husband’s monumental achievements on the baseball field, it’s clear that Rachel’s own achievements are equally if not even more important. Now, at 102 years old, Rachel remains a living testament that the true measure of success or a life well-lived often isn’t found in accolades and public recognition but in the countless lives that have been influenced by our own actions.