Jackie Robinson Museum Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

The Jackie Robinson Museum is the direct result of Rachel Robinson's 50-year commitment to preserving and expanding her late husband's legacy. Speakers consistently credited her, especially on her 100th birthday, as the 'guiding light' and 'soul' behind the foundation and the museum. She envisioned a space that was 'much more than a remembrance of her husband's baseball career,' aiming for it to be a 'celebration of an American hero whose actions opened the floodgates to the modern civil rights movement.'

Robin Roberts states, 'celebrating the 100th birthday of the woman whose drive, determination, spirit, and vision will be realized... Rachel Robinson.' Dela Britain mentions Rachel's 'longheld vision' to build a museum that 'encouraged particularly the next generation to carry on his work and to embrace the values of humanitarianism.'

The Jackie Robinson Museum explicitly defines itself as a civil rights institution rather than solely a baseball museum. Its mission is to educate visitors about Jackie Robinson as an 'athlete, activist, patriot, entrepreneur, and devoted family man,' inspiring social change and challenging people to pursue lives of purpose. Mark Thompson noted it is 'the only civil rights museum in New York,' emphasizing its broader societal role in addressing critical social issues and race relations.

Roland Martin states, 'this is not a baseball museum. This is a museum about Jackie Robinson, the man.' Robin Roberts adds, 'The Jackie Robinson Museum will be New York's epicenter for bringing black history forward into the present. It will serve as a venue for vibrant dialogue on critical social issues.' Mark Thompson highlights, 'This will end up being the only civil rights museum in New York.'

David Robinson, Jackie's son, articulated his father's philosophy of 'we,' emphasizing that Jackie saw himself as part of a larger collective. This 'we' expanded from his family to the Brooklyn Dodgers, then to African Americans who found a hero, and eventually to all Americans who recognized his impact. David stressed that the museum should be viewed not just as an achievement but as a challenge to continue the ongoing struggle for equal opportunity and to expand the 'family of man' to include everyone.

David Robinson states, 'The one of the questions I think my father would have raised was who was being honored. He was a man who used the word we regularly.' He continues, 'Jackie Robinson would say, 'Don't think of you standing on my shoulders. I think of myself standing on the shoulders of my mother... my grandmother who was born a slave.'

Howard Bryant highlighted Jackie Robinson's unwavering commitment to principle, even before his fame, and his capacity for evolution. He noted that Robinson's story wasn't always 'heroic' and included instances where he 'failed' or 'messed up,' such as his initial reluctance for Rachel to work or his testimony against Paul Robeson. However, Robinson's willingness to 'grow and evolve with the times' and acknowledge his mistakes demonstrated his authenticity and dedication to the fight for his people, making his legacy even more profound.

Howard Bryant states, 'What's right is right and that's it.' He later adds, 'one of the things that I admire most about about Jackie Robinson... is how many times he failed. I mean, the story is not always heroic with him.' He mentions Robinson's evolution on issues like his wife working and his stance on Vietnam.