[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 28, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E36-E37]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  TRIBUTE TO HOWARD T. ROBINSON, SR.--FIRST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE 
                       CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. WILLIAM (BILL) CLAY

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 28, 1998

  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, on November 8, 1997, Howard Theodore Robinson, 
Sr., the first Executive Director of the Congressional Black Caucus, 
lost his life in a car accident. His death was a great tragedy for the 
African-American community. He touched so many lives and was a key 
participant in the socioeconomic movement of minorities.
  I vividly remember the day I was introduced to Howard during a 
congressional trip to the Far East. At that time, Howard was labor 
attache' for the American embassy in Tokyo. Congressman Gus Hawkins and 
I met with him. We were so impressed with Howard that we recommended to 
our colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus that he be hired as 
the organization's first executive director. Our instincts proved to be 
correct. He was a great administrator. The CBC is the powerful 
organization that is today in part because of Howard's contributions.
  Howard worked tirelessly to advance the causes of minorities, 
particularly African-Americans, and made great sacrifices on their 
behalf. When he accepted the position of CBC Executive Director, he 
left a prestigious position at the State Department. But, he was on a 
greater mission. In his letter of acceptance he stated that he was 
taking the job ``with the full recognition that the Caucus may not, at 
this time, be in a position to match my current salary. But, because I 
believe that the purposes and objectives outlined by the Caucus are 
basic to the future of all Americans, I am willing to abandon my 
position as a senior Foreign Service office, in order to dedicate the 
next years of my life to the objectives that you in the Caucus have set 
out to achieve.''
  In addition to his foreign service career, which included U.S. 
Consulate to the French West Indies and Advisor to the U.S. Delegation 
to the International Labor Organization Conference in Geneva, 
Switzerland, Howard Robinson had a distinguished career in radio. In 
1991, he became the host of ``The Creative Entrepreneur'', a talk show 
about small businesses. Later on, he hosted a second show called 
``Dynamics of Public Policy'', a show about policy in southern New 
Jersey. The title of the second show was changed to ``In The Public 
Interests'' when Howard left New Jersey and went solo. The shows were 
expansions of Howard's efforts to help minority communities. They both 
proved to be key informational sources in their respective communities 
and helped many to empower themselves economically and politically.
  Howard's sacrifices and contributions will not be forgotten. His work 
touched people who will always remember how Howard helped them to 
envision and live up to their potential. The name ``Howard T. Robinson, 
Sr.'' will be indelibly marked on their journey to economic 
independence.

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