Jackie Robinson Day2026 · Date · History
MLB states that every April 15 baseball honors Jackie Robinson’s legacy and that April 15 has been dedicated as Jackie Robinson Day each year since 2004; MLB also documented the 2026 league-wide commemoration.
About Jackie Robinson Day
Jackie Robinson Day is Major League Baseball’s annual 15 April commemoration of Jackie Robinson. MLB says April 15 has been dedicated as Jackie Robinson Day each year since 2004.
The date marks Robinson’s Major League debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers on 15 April 1947, when he broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier. The observance belongs to baseball’s institutional history and is not a general statutory public holiday.
Why Jackie Robinson Day matters
The day connects Robinson’s baseball career with the history of racial segregation and integration in Major League Baseball. That history can be discussed through primary records, museums, baseball archives and documented biographical sources.
The observance also has specific MLB traditions. These should be described as league practices rather than assumed to apply to every baseball organization or to public institutions generally.
History of Jackie Robinson Day
Jackie Robinson made his Major League debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers on 15 April 1947, breaking MLB’s color barrier.
MLB retired Robinson’s uniform number 42 across the major leagues in 1997.
In the historical account of Jackie Robinson Day, MLB says April 15 has been dedicated as Jackie Robinson Day each year since 2004. Since 2009, MLB players, managers, coaches and umpires have worn number 42 on the day.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Major League Baseball (MLB)
MLB states that April 15 has been dedicated as Jackie Robinson Day each year since 2004.
Major League Baseball (MLB)
The recurring league-wide commemoration is established and maintained by MLB.
First documented observance
MLB states that April 15 has been dedicated as Jackie Robinson Day each year since 2004; combined with the fixed April 15 recurrence, this supports the 2004 first annual edition.
Major League Baseball (MLB)
MLB maintains the official Jackie Robinson Day program and current annual commemoration.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
4 fields not established in reviewed sources
How to Observe Jackie Robinson Day
Read a museum, library or MLB account of Robinson’s 1947 season and compare it with contemporary primary records.
Learn about the Negro Leagues and the broader baseball structures that existed before and during MLB integration.
Visit or explore online collections from baseball museums and archives.
Discuss the history with attention to documented events and the experiences of people directly involved.
Watch how MLB marks the current Jackie Robinson Day and distinguish current league traditions from historical events.
Jackie Robinson Day Facts
Jackie Robinson Day is observed by Major League Baseball on 15 April.
The date marks Jackie Robinson’s Major League debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers on 15 April 1947.
MLB says Robinson broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier with that debut.
MLB retired number 42 league-wide in 1997.
MLB has dedicated April 15 as Jackie Robinson Day each year since 2004.
MLB says players, managers, coaches and umpires have worn number 42 on the day since 2009.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
- Remembrance Civic Context Care.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
Major League Baseball — 2026 Jackie Robinson Day (opens in a new tab)
Sports Governing Body Current Edition
Major League Baseball — Jackie Robinson Day (opens in a new tab)
Sports Governing Body
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is Jackie Robinson Day?
15 April annually; 15 April 2026 edition verified The documented recurrence rule is: 15 April.
Does Jackie Robinson Day fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is Jackie Robinson Day an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: Major League Baseball / league-wide observance. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes Jackie Robinson Day?
The reviewed sources identify Major League Baseball (MLB) as the proclaiming or establishing body. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as Major League Baseball (MLB).
Is Jackie Robinson Day international or country-specific?
No single country is assigned to this observance. Its documented scope is: Major League Baseball / league-wide observance. Use that scope rather than assuming worldwide or country-specific status.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-10-02.
When is Jackie Robinson Day?
Major League Baseball observes it on 15 April each year.
Why is Jackie Robinson Day on April 15?
It marks Jackie Robinson’s Major League debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers on 15 April 1947, when MLB says he broke the league’s color barrier.
When did MLB begin Jackie Robinson Day?
MLB says April 15 has been dedicated as Jackie Robinson Day each year since 2004.
Why does number 42 feature so prominently?
MLB retired Robinson’s number 42 across the major leagues in 1997 and says all players, managers, coaches and umpires have worn 42 on Jackie Robinson Day since 2009.
Other observances on April 15
These observances are also listed on April 15, 2027.
Hari Perisytiharan Melaka Sebagai Bandaraya Bersejarah
Melaka state history records the Historical City declaration on 15 April 1989, while a Malaysian government calendar carries the proclamation-day observance on 15 April.
International Wellness Day
A/RES/80/249
National High Five Day
Official project material verifies a 2002 University of Virginia student origin and third-Thursday-in-April recurrence.
One Boston Day
City of Boston material documents the 2015 beginning of One Boston Day, a 2016 mayoral proclamation permanently designating April 15, and continuing City stewardship in 2026.
RMS Titanic sinking anniversary
NOAA verifies that RMS Titanic sank on 15 April 1912 and describes the protected wreck site as a memorial. The record is a historical anniversary and does not assert creation of a separatel…
Universal Day of Culture under the Banner of Peace
Nicholas Roerich’s writings proposed a World/Universal Day of Culture, and the international movement dedicated to the initiative identifies 15 April as its observance.