Pasadena to Enhance Robinson Family Home Memorial

The City Council will hear a report on plans to expand the memorial at the former Robinson family home to better honor the legacy of Jackie and Mack Robinson and their siblings.

Jackie Robinson made history when he broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball in 1947. Mack Robinson helped defeat Hitler’s claims of Aryan superiority when he won a Silver Medal in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.

Mack finished just 0.4 seconds behind Jesse Owens, who won the Gold Medal. Some say Owens won because he received new cleats to compete in the race, while Mack did not.

The new memorial aims to create a more prominent tribute to the influential family.

The current memorial, a bronze plaque installed in 2019, is embedded in the concrete parkway at 123 Pepper Street. It reads: “Jackie and Mack Robinson resided at this site with their family from 1922 to 1946.”

However, the plaque is flush with the ground, making it challenging to locate. The original house, located at 121 Pepper Street, was demolished in the 1970s, with the present home constructed in 1977.

The proposed project will introduce a new memorial that stands five feet tall, featuring three plaques honoring the entire Robinson family. This initiative follows consultations with community stakeholders, Robinson family members, and the current homeowners, all of whom support the project. The Northwest Commission reviewed and endorsed the proposal during meetings on May 14 and July 9, 2024.

The new memorial will include the following features:

Extending the concrete parkway to accommodate the installation
Removing the existing plaque and patching the concrete
Painting the curb red to establish a no-parking zone
Installing a metal pole to support the new plaques
Replacing the existing bush near the memorial

The three plaques will include:

A tribute to Mallie Robinson and her five children — Jackie, Mack, Edgar, Frank, and Willa Mae — featuring a historical image of the original home.
Historical information about Mack and Jackie Robinson’s accomplishments.
Photographs and quotes from Mack and Jackie Robinson, selected by the family.

The project, designed to be ADA accessible and durable, is expected to begin construction in November 2024 and be completed by the end of the month.

This enhancement aligns with the City Council’s Strategic Planning Goal to promote quality of life in Pasadena by memorializing historically significant sites.