[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 60 (Thursday, April 6, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E292]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING MR. RANDALL ROBINSON

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 6, 2023

  Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, along with the 
Congressional Black Caucus, to honor the extraordinary life and career 
of Randall Robinson, a legendary activist, lawyer, and a true fighter 
for racial justice. From reparations for Black Americans to ending 
apartheid in South Africa, Mr. Robinson dedicated his career to 
advocating for equity and human rights for all people of African 
descent. I would like to extend my deepest condolences to Randall's 
family, his wife Hazel Ross-Robinson, and his three children, Anike, 
Jabari, and Khalea. They are in my prayers during this difficult time.
  Mr. Robinson's story is one of tremendous courage and is a testament 
to the goodness that exists in humanity, even in the face of racial 
injustice. Born in the Jim Crow South, Mr. Robinson's worldview was 
heavily influenced by the racial discrimination he faced from a young 
age, as he grew up in a society marked by institutional racism and 
attended segregated schools. From these experiences, Mr. Robinson found 
a deep passion for political activism and racial justice. He rose to 
become a leader in representing the African diaspora and African people 
in the United States.
  Randall was a proud graduate of Harvard Law School, a Ford Fellow, a 
Congressional staff member to Representatives Bill Clay & Charles 
Diggs, and founder of the TransAfrica Forum. Through TransAfrica, Mr. 
Robinson organized sit-ins and civil demonstrations, influenced US 
foreign policy to the Caribbean and throughout the African continent, 
and ultimately established the leading foreign-policy think-tank for 
African Americans.
  But perhaps, Mr. Robinson's most notable achievement was his 
contributions to the end of apartheid, as he forced the United States 
to confront the evils occurring in South Africa. His organizing efforts 
included leading daily sit-ins in the South African embassy calling for 
Nelson Mandela's release from prison. Randall's commitment to South 
African liberation earned him seven arrests for civil disobedience, but 
ultimately helped influence a congressional override of President 
Ronald Reagan's veto of economic sanctions against the South African 
government.
  Mr. Robinson's dedication to the African community never ceased, even 
after Nelson Mandela's successful release and the official end of 
apartheid.
  He famously missed President Mandela's inauguration, as by then he 
had already led a month long hunger strike to protest the treatment of 
Haitian refugees fleeing a military junta. Mr. Robinson ended his 
hunger strike only after President Clinton committed to granting those 
fleeing violence in Haiti asylum hearings.
  On a personal note, I had the privilege of working with Randall when 
he was a senior staffer to the late Congressman Diggs and myself with 
Congressman Ron Dellums. I vividly remember helping Randall organize 
TransAfrica and the hard work, brilliance and passion of this effort. 
He never lost his vision and purpose. Because of this, he changed the 
world.
  Randall Robinson was a shining example of public service and 
activism. He was the first to give voice to so many unheard and ignored 
African communities in the United States and throughout the world. May 
his incredible legacy serve as an example to us all, as the work for 
racial equity remains unfinished. While we mourn his loss, we celebrate 
a truly remarkable individual who served as a force for justice until 
the end. May he rest in Peace and Power.

                          ____________________