The Jackie Robinson Foundation was established in 1973.
Rachel Robinson founded the organization a few months after Jackie Robinson died in October 1972. Its mission was to preserve his legacy while helping minority students pursue higher education and develop leadership skills.
The foundation offers more than financial aid: its program has included mentoring, internships, leadership training, community service, international travel, and professional networking. This support model is why the organization became closely associated with long-term student success rather than one-time scholarships.
A common mix-up is confusing the foundation’s founding year with Jackie Robinson’s death year, 1972, or with the year he broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier, 1947. The Jackie Robinson Museum, another part of the foundation’s legacy work, opened in Manhattan in 2022.