Robert H. Robinson

Robert H. Robinson (1824–1909)^[1] was a minister and an activist for the rights of African Americans during the Antebellum period in Arlington, Virginia. He was born into slavery, but through the negotiation by his grandmother, Caroline Branham, he was freed at age 21 after an eleven-year apprenticeship. He was a minister at Roberts Chapel, an African Methodist Episcopal Church. He established a night school and debate team for black freedman. The Robert H. Robinson Library was named in his honor.

Rev. Robert H. Robinson

Early life

Robinson was born into slavery. He was the son of Lucy Branham and grandson of Caroline Branham.^[1][2][3] His slaveholder was George Washington Parke Custis, Martha Washington's grandson. In the 1820s, Caroline agreed to participate in lengthy interviews with historian Jared Sparks under the condition that Robinson was freed. He was sold to a Quaker named Miller in 1834. He was apprenticed to a banker and businessman from Arlington named Robert Jamieson. During this time, he learned to read and do arithmetic. He was freed in January 1846 at 21 years of age.^[1]

Career

Robinson was ordained to the ministry by Bishop Matthew Simpson, who was Abraham Lincoln's spiritual adviser.^[4] He was a pastor of Roberts Chapel, a Methodist Episcopal Church established by African Americans, on South Washington Street in the city of Alexandria.^[1] He helped establish the Western Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church; it was the first conference for African Americans.^[4][5] From 1872 to 1876, he was the first African member of the Board of Church Extension Society of the M.E. Church.^[4] In 1883, he moved to Charleston, West Virginia.^[6] By 1894, he was the minister of the McKendree M.E. Church in Cumberland, Maryland.^[5][7] Throughout his career, he was the minister to churches in the District of Columbia, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.^[4]

He helped to create opportunities for black freedmen by opening a night school and a debate club.^[1] He was the treasurer of the William McKinley Normal and Industrial School in Alexandria.^[8]

In 1864, he and two of his sons organized the earliest Emancipation Day observances in the city for African Americans. The celebration attracted Booker T. Washington, Frederick Douglass, and John M. Langston.^[1]

Personal life and death

Robinson was married on September 23, 1847.^[5][9] Robinson's sons established the African American newspaper The Washington National Leader, also called The Leader. R.B. was the business manager and Magnus was the managing editor. Frederick Douglass, Jr. was the associate editor.^[10][11][12]

He became the fourth Grand Master of the Freemasons for the District of Columbia in 1854. He became a Grand Master in West Virginia in the 1880s.^[4] In 1883, he was declared the "oldest living Past Grand Master of Masons of the District of Columbia, Universal Lodge".^[6]

He died on November 22, 1909.^[13][14] In 1911, a ten-foot high monument was erected for him at the Bethel Cemetery on South Payne Street in Alexandria, Virginia by his two sons, Rev. R.B. Robinson and Magnus L. Robinson, an editor.^[4][11] His wife and sons were buried near him at the cemetery.^[11]

Legacy

The Robert H. Robinson Library of the Alexandria Black History Museum is named in his honor.^[1][15]

He is named on the Truths that Rise from the Roots monument in Alexandria, Virginia.^[16]

References

1. "Caroline Branham". Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial. National Park Service. January 21, 2021. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
2. Kimball, Melanie A.; Wisser, Katherine M. (2017-05-08). Libraries - Traditions and Innovations: Papers from the Library History Seminar XIII. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. p. 71. ISBN 978-3-11-045084-2.
3. . www.alexandriava.gov. Archived from the original on 2021-10-04. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
4. "Monument Erected: In Honor of the Late Rev. Robert H. Robinson, Past Grand Master". The Washington Bee. 1911-08-26. p. 4. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
5. "Golden Wedding". The Washington Bee. 1897-08-14. p. 5. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
6. "Rev. Robert H. Robinson - Past Grand Master". The Washington Bee. 1883-12-15. p. 3. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
7. "The Methodists - Regional Conference". Evening Star. 1894-03-06. p. 8. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
8. "General Matters - William McKinley Normal and Industrial School Graduation". Evening Star. 1903-05-21. p. 11. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
9. "Married Half a Century - Robert H. Robinson". Washington Times. 1897-09-02. p. 5. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
10. Winfree, Andrew (2019-10-03). Footprints of African Americans in Alexandria. Trafford Publishing. p. 63. ISBN 978-1-4907-9589-8.
11. "Alexandria's own: Magnus Robinson" (PDF). Alexandria Times. February 8, 2018. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
12. "The National Leader masthead". The National Leader. May 4, 1889. Masthead: The Leader, Published every Saturday, Entered at Washington, D.C., Robinson Brothers Proprietors, R.B. Robinson Business Manager, Magnus L. Brothers Managing Editor, Frederick Douglass Jr. Associate Manager
13. "Robert H. Robinson - death". Evening Star. 1909-11-25. p. 15. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
14. "Ministers His Pallbearers - Robert H. Robinson". The Washington Post. 1909-11-26. p. 9. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
15. Conroy, Sarah Booth (January 1, 2001). "Mount Vernon's Bicentennial of Freedom". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
16. Meadows, Jerome (1995-06-17). "Truths that Rise from the Roots Remembered (Alexandria, VA)". Photographs by Renée Ater. Retrieved 2021-10-04.