[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 122 (Tuesday, September 26, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10156-S10157]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                     IN MEMORY OF SEYMOUR ROBINSON

 Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, today I ask my colleagues to pay 
tribute to an exceptional man and a wonderful friend of mine, Seymour 
Robinson. Seymour died on September 13 at the age of 90. His deep sense 
of moral and social responsibility and tireless commitment to giving 
back touched the lives of all who knew him.
  Seymour was born on May 24, 1916, in Chicago, IL. He worked hard to 
support his family during the Great Depression. He enlisted in the Army 
Air Corps and was soon transferred to the U.S. Army Infantry in Fort 
Worth, TX. It was here that he met his beloved wife of 60 years, Anita. 
Before they could marry, he was shipped out to serve in World War II.
  As a member of the Civil Affairs D Team of the U.S. First Infantry 
Division, he fought at Omaha Beach during the U.S. landing in Normandy 
on D-Day. As part of a U.S. unit attached to the French Second Armored 
Division, Seymour was involved in the liberation of Paris. After his 
unit captured the German SS barracks on the Place de la Republique in 
Paris, it was overrun by cheering crowds; the Jewish people in Paris 
were finally able to come out of hiding, wearing the yellow stars that 
were used to segregate them. Of this time, Seymour recounts a powerful 
incident: ``As their enthusiasm settled down, we were asked a 
devastating question: `What is the will of the Americans. Are we still 
to wear our yellow stars?' Without a second's hesitation, we tore the 
stars off the clothes of

[[Page S10157]]

those nearest us and put them on our uniforms. The question had floored 
us. We couldn't speak. The word had spread quickly. `We are free!' ''
  His bravery and courage will never be forgotten. He was awarded three 
Bronze Battle Stars by the U.S. and the Croix de Guerre by the French 
government, given to individuals who distinguish themselves heroically 
in acts of bravery against the enemy.
  Seymour's experience as a World War II veteran helped shape his deep 
sense of responsibility. He said ``This experience reestablished my 
identity. I am a Jew who knows that I must forever be vigilant about 
the human rights not only of my people but of all people . . .''
  After returning to Chicago a war hero, he married Anita on January 
14, 1946. They soon visited California, where Anita's parents lived. As 
Anita recounts their trip, there was ice on the ground in Chicago when 
they took off and it was 80 degrees in California when they landed; she 
refused to go back. Seymour and Anita thus ended up in my beautiful 
home state, where they lived the California dream with their three 
wonderful children: David, Lorraine and Billy.
  Their children were deeply influenced by their father. Seymour taught 
his three children that they have a responsibility as Jews and 
Americans to give back to society and do the right thing.
  Once in California, Seymour easily found a job first as a steelworker 
and then a typographer. As a typographer, he worked his way up to 
foreman and ended up buying the business, Ad Compositors, which was one 
of the largest of its kind in Southern California. He was a lifelong 
member of the International Typographical Union. Seymour had previously 
been an organizer for the Congress of Industrial Organizations, CIO, 
before it became the AFL-CIO.
  While living in West Los Angeles with his family, Seymour was a 
cofounder and leader of Neighbors United, an organization that worked 
to promote racial harmony and maintain diversity in neighborhoods at a 
time of racial strife in L.A. He was also active in the Public Affairs 
Committee of the Westside Jewish Community Center and the Urban Affairs 
Committee of the Los Angeles Board of Education, working to desegregate 
the Los Angeles public schools.
  Seymour helped elect Mayor Tom Bradley, Los Angeles's first African-
American mayor. Seymour was also involved with the L.A. City Human 
Relations Commission and the Mayor's Advisory Committee.
  Seymour was President of the Citizen's Advisory Committee for Pan 
Pacific Park, helping to coordinate funding for this park. Mayor 
Richard Riordan officially named him the ``Father of Pan Pacific Park'' 
for his instrumental role in creating this public park on the Westside 
of Los Angeles.
  Never one to rest on his laurels, in his later years he was active as 
the Los Angeles County Political Coordinator for the AARP.
  Seymour Robinson is survived by his beloved wife Anita; his children 
David, Lorraine and Billy Robinson; and his granddaughters Rachel and 
Mara Woods-Robinson.
  I am proud to have called Seymour my friend. Seymour was never afraid 
to speak his mind when he saw injustice. He had a deep sense of right 
and wrong and was very persuasive in convincing others to get involved 
in the fight for social justice. He was an inspiration to all who knew 
him and a hero to this nation. He will be greatly missed.

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