Rachel Annetta Isum and Jackie Robinson met at UCLA in 1940, when she was studying nursing and he was already the campus’s most celebrated figure. They married on February 10, 1946, beginning a 26-year partnership that served as both personal anchor and moral foundation for racial integration in Major League Baseball.
The UCLA Connection
It was in the fall of 1940 when mutual friends introduced them on the UCLA campus. Rachel Annetta Isum, born July 19, 1922, in Los Angeles, was beginning her nursing studies. Jackie Robinson, already a standout college athlete, invited her to their first date at UCLA’s homecoming dance in November 1940, held at the Biltmore Hotel. That evening marked the start of a relationship that would transcend sports.
A Career in Nursing and Mental Health
While Jackie Robinson was becoming a baseball legend—breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball in 1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers—Rachel was building her own distinguished career. She specialized in psychiatric nursing, earning a master’s degree from NYU in 1959. She served as an assistant professor at Yale School of Nursing and director of nursing at the Connecticut Mental Health Center, establishing herself as a respected professional in mental health care for decades.
Legacy After Jackie Robinson
Following Jackie Robinson’s death on October 24, 1972, Rachel Isum founded the Jackie Robinson Foundation in 1973, which became her life’s work. The foundation has supported over 1,000 college students, maintaining a 97% graduation rate. Rachel became the voice and keeper of her husband’s memory, preserving his legacy not only as a ballplayer but as a civil rights activist. She turned 100 in 2022, living long enough to witness how her work and Jackie Robinson’s continued transforming lives.
A 26-Year Marriage
From their wedding in Los Angeles through 1972, Rachel stood beside Jackie Robinson during the most intense years of his Major League career and his activism afterward. While he faced racism on the diamond and beyond, she supported him from behind the scenes, raising their family and advancing her own nursing career. They had two children during their marriage, building a life that balanced public pressure with family privacy.
| How They Met | Introduced by mutual friends at UCLA, November 1940 |
| First Date | UCLA homecoming dance at the Biltmore Hotel, November 1940 |
| Wedding Year | February 10, 1946 |
| Years Together | 26 years (1946–1972) |
| Children | Two children |
| Rachel’s Profession | Psychiatric nurse, professor, nursing director, founder of the Jackie Robinson Foundation |
FAQ
How long were Jackie and Rachel Robinson married?
They were married for 26 years, from February 10, 1946, until Jackie Robinson’s death on October 24, 1972.
What did Rachel Robinson do after Jackie died?
She founded the Jackie Robinson Foundation in 1973, an organization that has supported over 1,000 college students with a 97% graduation rate, becoming her primary public legacy.
What was Rachel Robinson’s professional career?
She was a psychiatric nurse with a master’s degree from NYU in 1959. She worked as an assistant professor at Yale and director of nursing at the Connecticut Mental Health Center before dedicating herself to the foundation.
