Pasadena to Celebrate 50th Anniversary of Jackie Robinson Community Center

City officials announced that Pasadena will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Jackie Robinson Community Center on Saturday, June 15. 

The center, which was dedicated in Robinson’s name on June 2, 1974, is located in the neighborhood where the famed baseball player and civil rights activist grew up. 

The celebration will unfold from noon to 2 p.m. at 1020 N. Fair Oaks Ave., said Lisa Derderian, Pasadena’s Public Information Officer. 

Plans call for featuring an invocation from Pastor Emeritus William Turner Jr., statements from dignitaries and the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, a choir performance, and refreshments.

A highlight will be the unveiling of a time capsule, which will capture event photos and notes written by guests to be opened years later, Derderian said. 

The Jackie Robinson Community Center provides a wide range of free classes, cultural events and services for all ages.

The center is open on weekdays, excluding holidays, and offers amenities such as a free computer lab with Wi-Fi. 

It also acts as a cooling center during the summer in response to extreme heat. 

Jackie Robinson Community Center provides many essential community services, including health counseling and screening, passport services, legal clinics, immigration assistance, and resources for older adults.

Jackie Robinson lived in Pasadena from 1922 through 1947, excelling in multiple sports at John Muir High School and Pasadena Junior College before attending UCLA. 

In 1947, he famously broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers, becoming the first African American to play in the league. 

Throughout his life, Robinson was a key figure in the civil rights movement. He later made history again as the first African American to become Vice President of a major American corporation.

For more information about the 50th anniversary celebration, call the Jackie Robinson Community Center at (626) 744-7300 or visit https://www.cityofpasadena.net/parks-and-rec/event/jrcc-50th-anniversary-of-building-dedication/.