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The Jackie Robinson Museum Is About a Lot More Than Baseball
Robinson accomplished a great deal on the field, but a museum celebrating his life puts as much focus on his civil rights work.
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The Jackie Robinson Museum kicked off 2024 with several great programs for audiences of all ages and interests.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the Museum held special guided tours, games, art activities, and a music workshop to commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. King and to showcase the friendship and collaboration between him and Jackie Robinson in their shared fight against inequality.
The first stop for most visitors was our fan favorite trivia wheel in the lobby, which encouraged guests to test their Jackie Robinson knowledge and featured a special category about his partnership with Dr. King. Children and adults alike eagerly played for a chance to win a prize and many even returned on their way out!
Guided tours led by curatorial assistant Sidney Carlson-White highlighted key moments in Robinson and King’s relationship during the Civil Rights Movement, including the high stakes presidential election of 1960 and the Birmingham campaign of 1963.
The Education Center was also bustling with energy as educator Lavita Burr hosted a Music of the Civil Rights Movement workshop. Children created musical instruments, then played them along with freedom songs of the 1960s and jazz performances that were a part of, and inspired by, the movement. The workshop took special inspiration from the Robinson family, including their legendary An Afternoon of Jazz concerts that helped raise money for civil rights organizations like Dr. King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).
Leveling the Playing Field: Women in Baseball
On January 26, the Museum launched the Leveling the Playing Field series with a panel discussion on Women in Baseball. An all-star lineup of women, who have been breaking barriers and making a difference in their respective professions, came to together to share their stories and converse on the state of baseball today.
Shakeia Taylor, Deputy Senior Content Editor at the Chicago Tribune and baseball historian, moderated an inspirational panel full of candor and wisdom shared by A.J. Andrews, Pro Softball Player & MLB Network Host; Amber Sabathia, CAA Baseball Agent and Co-Founder & Executive Director of the PitCCh In Foundation; Mo’ne Davis, Aspiring Women’s Sports Owner, former Little League World Series pitcher; and Wendy Lewis, former Senior VP, Diversity and Strategic Alliances, Major League Baseball.
The Leveling the Playing Field series will continue to bring together women of color to discuss critical issues on and off the field, with each session focusing on a different sport and its social impact through an intersectional lens of race and gender. Next up: soccer!
Parent Coordinator Experience
We ended January by collaborating with the New York City Department of Education’s Office of Family and Community Engagement (FACE) to welcome twenty-five Parent Coordinators from several school districts to tour the Museum and learn more about our programming and special events.
Overall, the year is starting off great as we continue to share the legacy of Jackie Robinson with new audiences through our programming. Check out Programs and Events to find out what’s up next!
