Rachel Robinson, widow of baseball trailblazer Jackie Robinson, celebrates her 100th birthday Tuesday.
The former professor, nurse, leader in the civil rights movement and founder of the Jackie Robinson Foundation was born Rachel Isum in Pasadena, California in 1922.
The Robinsons met in 1940 on the campus of UCLA where Rachel earned her nursing degree in 1945. The two wed in 1946 in Los Angeles and were married until the baseball icon’s death in 1972.
Rachel had three children, Jackie Jr., Sharon and David, before obtaining her master’s degree in psychiatric nursing from NYU in May 1961.
Rachel worked as a nurse in the Bronx and went on to become the head of psychiatric nursing at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Rachel made a name for herself as a civil rights activist and served as an assistant professor at Yale University.
Rachel accepted several posthumous honors on behalf of Jackie, while receiving many accolades for her own work. She also launched a multi-city traveling Jackie Robinson exhibit in 1987.
Rachel was awarded MLB’s commissioner Historic Achievement Award in 2007. She is the first woman and first non-player to receive this award.
At Tuesday night’s MLB All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium, Rachel Robinson was honored as All-Stars gathered on the field and Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts spoke to the crowd following the national anthem.
Mookie Betts on the field telling crowd to shout out Happy Birthday to Rachel Robinson, who celebrates her 100th birthday today. pic.twitter.com/RQfPk5a14P
Contriuting: The Associated Press
Contact Analis Bailey at aabailey@usatoday.com or on Twitter @analisbailey.
