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Councilmember Charles Allen Councilmember Anita Bonds 2
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Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. Councilmember Trayon White, Sr. 6
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Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau Councilmember Janeese Lewis George 10
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Councilmember Vincent C. Gray Councilmember Zachary Parker 14
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Councilmember Matthew Frumin Councilmember Brooke Pinto 18
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Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie 22
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CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION 24
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 27
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To recognize and honor the beloved District resident, lawyer, author and anti-Apartheid activist, 31
Randall Maurice Robinson, on the occasion of his passing on March 24, 2023. 32
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WHEREAS, Mr. Robinson was born in in Richmond, VA on July 6, 1941; 34
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WHEREAS, Robinson grew up in what he described as the “domestic apartheid system” of Jim 36
Crow South, suffering indignities that inspired his future activism; 37
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WHEREAS, following a stint in the Army, Robinson received a bachelor’s degree in sociology 39
from Virginia Union University, a historically Black university, in 1967; 40
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WHEREAS, in 1970, Robinson graduated from Harvard Law School; 42
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WHEREAS, during the early 1970s, worked in the District for two members of Congress, Rep. 44
William L. Clay Sr. of Missouri and Rep. Charles C. Diggs Jr. of Michigan, both founding members of 45
the Congressional Black Caucus; 46
47 WHEREAS, in the late 1970s he became an active resident of the District of Columbia and 48
chaired a working group which led to the creation of TransAfrica, which formed to protest White-49
minority rule in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe); 50
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WHEREAS, Mr. Robinson led TransAfrica from its incorporation in 1977 until he stepped down 52
as executive director in 2001; 53
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WHEREAS, under Mr. Robinson’s leadership, TransAfrica became Black America’s premier 55
foreign-policy think tank, earning the backing of Black celebrities including singer Harry Belafonte, 56
tennis player Arthur Ashe, actors Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis, comedian Dick Gregory, and boxer 57
Muhammad Ali; 58
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WHEREAS, Mr. Robinson lead daily demonstrations in protest of apartheid outside of the South 60
African embassy that led to thousands of arrests, including tennis player Arthur Ashe, singer Stevie 61
Wonder, Delegate Walter Fauntroy, feminist leader Gloria Steinem and numerous members of Congress; 62
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WHEREAS, the renowned organization — and Mr. Robinson in particular — was widely 64
credited with forcing the United States to confront the apartheid regime in South Africa and push for the 65
release of South African activist Nelson Mandela, who was imprisoned for 27 years under apartheid; 66
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WHEREAS, Mr. Robinson’s activism also included a nearly month-long hunger strike which 68
successfully led President Bill Clinton to grant would-be refugees asylum hearings; 69
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WHEREAS, Mr. Robinson’s wrote several books, including “Defending the Spirit: A Black Life 71
in America”, “The Debt: What America Owes to Blacks”, in which he argued for reparations for the 72
descendants of enslaved people; and “The Reckoning: What Blacks Owe to Each Other.” 73
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RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DIST RICT OF COLUMBIA, that this resolution 75
may be cited as the “Randall Maurice Robinson Memorial Recognition Resolution of 2023.” 76
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Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia honors Randall Maurice Robinson’s legacy as 78
the foremost U.S. activist representing members of the African diaspora and expresses sincere 79
condolences to his family and loved ones. 80
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Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first date of publication in the 82
District of Columbia Register. 83