DC
District Of Columbia Council Bill CER25-0052

District Of Columbia 2023-2024 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill CER25-0052 Compare Versions

OldNewDifferences
1- ENROLLED ORIGINAL
2-1
3-
4-
5-A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION
6-
7-25-52
8-
9-IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
10-
11-April 4, 2023
12-
13-
14-To recognize and honor the beloved District resident, lawye r, author and anti-Apartheid activist, Randall
15-Maurice Robinson, on the occasion of his passing on March 24, 2023.
16-
17- WHEREAS, Mr. Robinson was born in in Richmond, VA on July 6, 1941;
18-
19- WHEREAS, Robinson grew up in what he described as the “domestic apartheid system” of Jim
20-Crow South, suffering indignities that inspired his future activism;
21-
22- WHEREAS, f ollowing a stint in the Army , Robinson received a bachelor’s degree in sociology
23-from Virginia Union University, a historically Black university, in 1967;
24-
25- WHEREAS, in 1970, Robinson graduated from Harvard Law School ;
26-
27- WHEREAS, during the early 1970s, worked in the District for 2 members of Congress, Rep.
28-William L. Clay Sr. of Missouri and Rep. Charles C. Diggs Jr. of Michigan , both founding members of
29-the Congressional Black Caucus;
30-
31-WHEREAS, in the late 1970s he became an active resident of the District of Columbia and
32-chaired a working group which led to the creation of TransAfrica, which formed to protest White-
33-minority rule in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe);
34-
35- WHEREAS, Mr. Robinson led TransAfrica from its incorporation in 1977 until he stepped down
36-as executive director in 2001;
37-
38- WHEREAS, under Mr. Robinson’s leadership, TransAfrica became Bl ack America’s premier
39-foreign- policy think tank, earning the backing of Black celebrities including singer Harry Belafonte,
40-tennis player Arthur Ashe, actors Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis, comedian Dick Gregory, and boxer
41-Muhammad Ali;
42-
43- WHEREAS, Mr. Robinson lead daily demonstrations in protest of apartheid outside of the South
44-African embassy that led to thousands of arrests, including tennis player Arthur Ashe, singer Stevie
45-Wonder, Delegate Walter Fauntroy, feminist leader Gloria Steinem and numerous members of Congress ;
46-
47-WHEREAS, the renowned organization — and Mr. Robinson in particular — w as widely
48-credited with forcing the United States to confront the apartheid regime in South Africa and push for the
49-release of South African activist Nelson Mandela, who was imprisoned for 27 years under apartheid;
50-
51- ENROLLED ORIGINAL
52-2
53-
54-
55-
56-WHEREAS, Mr. Robinson’s activism also included a nearly month- long hunger strike which
57-successfully led President Bill Clinton to grant would-be refugees asylum hearings;
58-
59-
60-WHEREAS, Mr. Robinson ’s wrote several books, including “Defending the Spirit: A Black Life
61-in America”, “The Debt: What A merica Owes to Blacks”, in which he argued for reparations for the
62-descendants of enslaved people; and “The Reckoning: What Blacks Owe to Each Other.”
63-
64- RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, T hat this resolution
65-may be cited as the “Randall Maurice Robinson Memorial Recognition Resolution of 2023.”
66-
67- Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia honors Randall Maurice Robinson’s legacy as
68-the foremost U.S. activist representing members of the African diaspora a nd expresses sincere
69-condolences to his family and loved ones.
70-
71- Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
1+___________________________ ______________________________ 1
2+Councilmember Charles Allen Councilmember Anita Bonds 2
3+ 3
4+ 4
5+__________________________ ______________________________ 5
6+Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. Councilmember Trayon White, Sr. 6
7+ 7
8+ 8
9+__________________________ ______________________________ 9
10+Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau Councilmember Janeese Lewis George 10
11+ 11
12+ 12
13+___________________________ ______________________________ 13
14+Councilmember Vincent C. Gray Councilmember Zachary Parker 14
15+ 15
16+ 16
17+___________________________ ______________________________ 17
18+Councilmember Matthew Frumin Councilmember Brooke Pinto 18
19+ 19
20+ 20
21+_____________________________ 21
22+ Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie 22
23+ 23
24+CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION 24
25+__________ 25
26+ 26
27+IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 27
28+__________ 28
29+ 29
30+ 30
31+ To recognize and honor the beloved District resident, lawyer, author and anti-Apartheid activist, 31
32+Randall Maurice Robinson, on the occasion of his passing on March 24, 2023. 32
33+ 33
34+ WHEREAS, Mr. Robinson was born in in Richmond, VA on July 6, 1941; 34
35+ 35
36+ WHEREAS, Robinson grew up in what he described as the “domestic apartheid system” of Jim 36
37+Crow South, suffering indignities that inspired his future activism; 37
38+ 38
39+ WHEREAS, following a stint in the Army, Robinson received a bachelor’s degree in sociology 39
40+from Virginia Union University, a historically Black university, in 1967; 40
41+ 41
42+ WHEREAS, in 1970, Robinson graduated from Harvard Law School; 42
43+ 43
44+ WHEREAS, during the early 1970s, worked in the District for two members of Congress, Rep. 44
45+William L. Clay Sr. of Missouri and Rep. Charles C. Diggs Jr. of Michigan, both founding members of 45
46+the Congressional Black Caucus; 46
47+ 47 WHEREAS, in the late 1970s he became an active resident of the District of Columbia and 48
48+chaired a working group which led to the creation of TransAfrica, which formed to protest White-49
49+minority rule in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe); 50
50+ 51
51+ WHEREAS, Mr. Robinson led TransAfrica from its incorporation in 1977 until he stepped down 52
52+as executive director in 2001; 53
53+ 54
54+ WHEREAS, under Mr. Robinson’s leadership, TransAfrica became Black America’s premier 55
55+foreign-policy think tank, earning the backing of Black celebrities including singer Harry Belafonte, 56
56+tennis player Arthur Ashe, actors Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis, comedian Dick Gregory, and boxer 57
57+Muhammad Ali; 58
58+ 59
59+ WHEREAS, Mr. Robinson lead daily demonstrations in protest of apartheid outside of the South 60
60+African embassy that led to thousands of arrests, including tennis player Arthur Ashe, singer Stevie 61
61+Wonder, Delegate Walter Fauntroy, feminist leader Gloria Steinem and numerous members of Congress; 62
62+ 63
63+WHEREAS, the renowned organization — and Mr. Robinson in particular — was widely 64
64+credited with forcing the United States to confront the apartheid regime in South Africa and push for the 65
65+release of South African activist Nelson Mandela, who was imprisoned for 27 years under apartheid; 66
66+ 67
67+WHEREAS, Mr. Robinson’s activism also included a nearly month-long hunger strike which 68
68+successfully led President Bill Clinton to grant would-be refugees asylum hearings; 69
69+ 70
70+WHEREAS, Mr. Robinson’s wrote several books, including “Defending the Spirit: A Black Life 71
71+in America”, “The Debt: What America Owes to Blacks”, in which he argued for reparations for the 72
72+descendants of enslaved people; and “The Reckoning: What Blacks Owe to Each Other.” 73
73+ 74
74+ RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DIST RICT OF COLUMBIA, that this resolution 75
75+may be cited as the “Randall Maurice Robinson Memorial Recognition Resolution of 2023.” 76
76+ 77
77+ Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia honors Randall Maurice Robinson’s legacy as 78
78+the foremost U.S. activist representing members of the African diaspora and expresses sincere 79
79+condolences to his family and loved ones. 80
80+ 81
81+ Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first date of publication in the 82
82+District of Columbia Register. 83