Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
September 11, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
People File • Activist

Rachel Robinson

Rachel Annetta Robinson (née Isum; born July 19, 1922) is an American retired nurse, educator, and civil rights activist.

Updated September 11, 20261 min readCited sources

Rachel Robinson is an American retired nurse, educator, and civil rights activist. She is best known as the widow of Jackie Robinson and founder of the Jackie Robinson Foundation.

Who she is

Rachel Annetta Isum was born on July 19, 1922, in Los Angeles, California. She studied at UCLA and later earned graduate training in psychiatric nursing at New York University. She married baseball legend Jackie Robinson in 1946 and worked as a psychiatric nurse and educator, including teaching at Yale School of Nursing.

What she did

After Jackie Robinson's death in 1972, Rachel Robinson founded the Jackie Robinson Foundation in 1973. The foundation provides scholarships and leadership development programs for minority students, helping to advance higher education and social equity.

Why it matters

Rachel Robinson's work has had a lasting impact on civil rights and educational access. Through the foundation and her activism, she has preserved Jackie Robinson's legacy while building a network of support for future generations.

In short

  • Widow of Jackie Robinson and founder of the Jackie Robinson Foundation.
  • Career as a nurse and educator before philanthropy.
  • Foundation scholarships support thousands of minority students.
  • Recognized as a civil rights activist and advocate for education.
Canadian angle

No direct Canada-specific connection is established in the provided sources; Rachel Robinson’s relevance to Canadian readers is mainly through her civil rights legacy and the international recognition of Jackie Robinson’s impact on baseball.

Quick questions

Who is Rachel Robinson?
Rachel Robinson is an American retired nurse, educator, and activist, best known as the widow of Jackie Robinson and founder of the Jackie Robinson Foundation.
Rachel Robinson age?
She was born on July 19, 1922, making her 104 years old as of July 2026.
Rachel Robinson death?
She is still alive and active in public life; no reports of her death in provided sources.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Robinson
    Supports: Birth name, birth date, marriage to Jackie Robinson, and founding of the Jackie Robinson Foundation.
  2. Jackie Robinson Foundation — https://jackierobinson.org/people/rachel-robinson/
    Supports: Her roles, civil rights activity, and the founding and mission of the Jackie Robinson Foundation.
  3. Society for American Baseball Research — https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/rachel-robinson/
    Supports: Birth details, career background, and foundation history.
  4. Los Angeles Times — https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-03-31-ss-43970-story.html
    Supports: Education, nursing and Yale roles, and her own account of founding the foundation.
  5. Los Angeles Times — https://www.latimes.com/california/newsletter/2022-07-19/essential-california-2022-07-19-all-star-game-rachel-robinson-essential-california
    Supports: Her 100th birthday in 2022 and continued public presence.
  6. NPR — https://www.npr.org/transcripts/128220842
    Supports: Identification as Jackie Robinson’s widow and founder of the Jackie Robinson Foundation.
  7. Women in Connecticut — https://www.wic.org/bio/robinson.htm
    Supports: Nursing and academic career details.