Pasadena Robinson Memorial

DESCRIPTION

The City of Pasadena has memorialized Jackie and Mack Robinson in two monumental bronze portrait heads sited across from City Hall in Pasadena. The sculptures reflect the city's appreciation for the brother's contributions beyond the athletic sphere as role models for African Americans and others in their ability to overcome racial barriers and offer hope under the contemporary social climate. The brothers' accomplishments can be traced to their youth in Pasadena and beyond through Mack's competition in the 1936 Berlin Olympics and Jackie's years with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Following his athletic accomplishments, Mack made Pasadena his permanent home where he led the fight against street crime. After two years serving in the U.S. army, Jackie was honorably discharged from his service having refused to give in to racial discrimination within the service. The sculptures function as likenesses of the two athletes and also offer a visual narrative of their accomplishments in politics, community service and sports. The artist team designed the sculptures, incorporating bas relief imagery into the surface of the hair. Images of the two figures in action recede into the surface between the left and right ears of both sculpted heads. Within Mack's hair, outlines of runners appear in action captured in the bronze surface next to quotes from the life of the 1936 Olympic Silver medalist. To Mack's right, outlines of an athlete appear above the letters "UCLA," signifying Jackie's college years and the four sports in which he competed, leading up to his years in major league baseball. These representations of the two brothers symbolize not only their contributions to American sports but their perseverance in breaking racial barriers, offering hope and inspiration to future generations.

ABOUT THE ARTWORK:
The Pasadena Robinson Memorial was created through a community effort spearheaded by the Board of Directors of Pasadena Robinson Memorial and the City of Pasadena. The monumental bronze portraitures of Mack and Jackie Robinson focus on the brothers’ lifelong accomplishments.

Mack Robinson won the silver medal for the 200-meter dash in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. He attended John Muir High School, Pasadena Junior College and University of Oregon. Jackie Robinson lettered in all four major sports at John Muir High School, Pasadena Junior College and University of California, Los Angeles. He went on to break the color barrier in major league baseball in 1947 when he played for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He also was among the founders of the first African-American owned bank in New York City.

The Robinson brothers’ abilities, self-confidence and determination set the stage for others to overcome barriers. Both men led complex lives, contributing in different ways to their communities, serving as role models and working tirelessly for civil justice. The bronze sculptures tell these stories and more with descriptive text and images inscribed on the backs and sides of their heads, highlighting the brothers’ multifaceted lives.

The Robinson sculptures were created with care to encourage empathy and mystery. Rather than life-sized “action figures,” monumental portraiture was chosen to honor the two brothers because their contributions reached beyond the athletic realm.

Mack was raised and stayed in Pasadena, and his portrait eternally faces City Hall. Jackie, who left the city, faces east, towards Brooklyn and the location of his adult domiciles. The sculptures create a kind of “gentle spectacle” within the public space of Centennial Square. It is hoped that they will promote meditation and reflection.

The 1997 dedication coincided with the 50th year anniversary of Jackie Robinson joining the Brooklyn Dodgers. The landscaping phase was completed on June 20, 2002, with a Commemorative Ring of Donors, lighting, inscribed benches, and flowering peach trees to honor their birthplace of Cairo, Georgia.

The Art Center College of Design students created a CD-ROM, Beyond Glory: Stories of Mack and Jackie Robinson. In a symbolic gesture, copies of the CD-ROM are suspended inside each sculpture.

Artists: Ralph Helmick, John Outterbridge, Stuart Schechter

Landscape Architect: Takata Associates

Project Construction Management: CBA & Associates, Inc.