Brother Spotlight
John Robinson
Brother John Robinson was born in Birmingham, Alabama to the late John G. and Addie Robinson. He grew up having a passion for football and baseball. He remembers being around his father while he was coaching and helping out for the local Negro League Baseball team called Birmingham Black Barons. His love for football came about because he knew that the sport would allow him to go to college and further his education.
Growing up in Alabama he recalls participating in the local protests and marches for equal rights. Even as a young man he knew that he wanted to serve the community in some capacity and give opportunities to those in need.
While attending Miles College on a football scholarship, he also played baseball to stay busy and focus on his studies. Before his discovery to Alpha, he mentioned that “all of the other fraternities were different. Every school had stereotypes about the fraternities. Alphas were the smart guys and into a lot of things. Most of the Alphas, I knew, were college presidents at the HBCUs. I was inspired by them and the different ones that they were doing in the world. They were servants.”
He was initiated in the spring of 1961 at the Gamma Kappa chapter and during his college days he served the fraternity as the chapter’s president. During his presidency, he was afforded the opportunity to hear the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speak at the Southern Region Convention. As he reflected on that experience, Bro. Robinson said “Dr. King was not that big at the time but was definitely busy and traveling all over the country speaking and fighting for civil rights.”
Bro. Robinson graduated in 1963 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education and Sociology. “I wanted to be a football coach. At that time, back then, they were not hiring coaches without being a classroom teacher first. And in order to coach you needed to be in the school system because most coaches did many things other than coach a team.”
Right after college, he was offered a position as a football coach in Georgia through one of his fraternity brothers but declined it because “at that time, down south in the school systems the salaries were not that great. They used to say jokingly the only thing you can do in the south is teach, preach and have a barbeque joint” so he decided to move to Minnesota to be closer to his mother and other family members, who had moved here a few years earlier.
On May 12th, 1980, he was inducted into the Miles College Sports Hall of Fame.
Growing up in Alabama he recalls participating in the local protests and marches for equal rights. Even as a young man he knew that he wanted to serve the community in some capacity and give opportunities to those in need.
While attending Miles College on a football scholarship, he also played baseball to stay busy and focus on his studies. Before his discovery to Alpha, he mentioned that “all of the other fraternities were different. Every school had stereotypes about the fraternities. Alphas were the smart guys and into a lot of things. Most of the Alphas, I knew, were college presidents at the HBCUs. I was inspired by them and the different ones that they were doing in the world. They were servants.”
He was initiated in the spring of 1961 at the Gamma Kappa chapter and during his college days he served the fraternity as the chapter’s president. During his presidency, he was afforded the opportunity to hear the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speak at the Southern Region Convention. As he reflected on that experience, Bro. Robinson said “Dr. King was not that big at the time but was definitely busy and traveling all over the country speaking and fighting for civil rights.”
Bro. Robinson graduated in 1963 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education and Sociology. “I wanted to be a football coach. At that time, back then, they were not hiring coaches without being a classroom teacher first. And in order to coach you needed to be in the school system because most coaches did many things other than coach a team.”
Right after college, he was offered a position as a football coach in Georgia through one of his fraternity brothers but declined it because “at that time, down south in the school systems the salaries were not that great. They used to say jokingly the only thing you can do in the south is teach, preach and have a barbeque joint” so he decided to move to Minnesota to be closer to his mother and other family members, who had moved here a few years earlier.
On May 12th, 1980, he was inducted into the Miles College Sports Hall of Fame.
Professional Career
When Bro. Robinson moved to Minnesota he got connected to the Gamma Xi Lambda chapter where he served as the Sergeant-of-Arms and Treasurer for some years. He mentioned that even though he did not hold many positions in the fraternity, he made sure he “stayed active, financially active with the brotherhood and always made myself available when a brother called on me.”
He started with Hennepin County Court Services as a Group Supervisor at the Hennepin County Boys Home School supervising and programming educational and recreational activities for delinquent boys. After working there for two years, he was drafted in the United States Army and served in Asmara, Ethiopia in the Army Security Agency. He also spent time organizing and supervising various recreational activities for military personnel. When he returned to Minnesota, he worked as a probation officer for Hennepin County.
Then in 1968, he found himself starting a career with Control Data Corporation in North Minneapolis. Control Data started a diversity program of providing jobs and hiring people inside the community rather than having people travel outside the community for employment.” Within this company he worked in various departments such as Human Resources Manager, Compensation Analyst, Employee Relationship Counselor, and a subsidiary of Control Data, Magnetic Peripherals, Inc as a Division Personnel Manager. He then retired from Control Data Corporations in 1989.
After retirement, Bro. Robinson started his own Professional Search Consultant firm called Robinson & Associates, he laughed and called them the “head hunters of that time.” His firm recruited for professional, managerial and executive positions for a variety of industries such as Engineering, Financial and Data Processing. He also found himself working with companies doing diversity training and was actually the first one to start a diversity department for the County of Anoka, which then offered him a full-time position. He then retired a second time in February 2005.
He was also active in the community with the Minnesota Vikings as a Public Relations Staffer, Law Enforcement Board (LEO), Twin City Personnel Association and the American Society for Training and Development.
He started with Hennepin County Court Services as a Group Supervisor at the Hennepin County Boys Home School supervising and programming educational and recreational activities for delinquent boys. After working there for two years, he was drafted in the United States Army and served in Asmara, Ethiopia in the Army Security Agency. He also spent time organizing and supervising various recreational activities for military personnel. When he returned to Minnesota, he worked as a probation officer for Hennepin County.
Then in 1968, he found himself starting a career with Control Data Corporation in North Minneapolis. Control Data started a diversity program of providing jobs and hiring people inside the community rather than having people travel outside the community for employment.” Within this company he worked in various departments such as Human Resources Manager, Compensation Analyst, Employee Relationship Counselor, and a subsidiary of Control Data, Magnetic Peripherals, Inc as a Division Personnel Manager. He then retired from Control Data Corporations in 1989.
After retirement, Bro. Robinson started his own Professional Search Consultant firm called Robinson & Associates, he laughed and called them the “head hunters of that time.” His firm recruited for professional, managerial and executive positions for a variety of industries such as Engineering, Financial and Data Processing. He also found himself working with companies doing diversity training and was actually the first one to start a diversity department for the County of Anoka, which then offered him a full-time position. He then retired a second time in February 2005.
He was also active in the community with the Minnesota Vikings as a Public Relations Staffer, Law Enforcement Board (LEO), Twin City Personnel Association and the American Society for Training and Development.
Fondest Memory
“When we had the1978 National Convention here in Minnesota, we really put on a nice show for the brothers. A lot of brothers had not been to Minneapolis back then. We had to make sure we put a very nice show so that they would want to come back. We connected with businesses and bars downtown Minneapolis so that would welcome those brothers and black people while being in town. I remember, a brother got on the phone like y'all better come to Minneapolis, y’all missing it here in Minneapolis. Those businesses supported the convention and really showed hospitality and love.”
Lesson Learned
“The Brotherhood. The brotherhood has helped me and I helped it. When I was traveling a lot with my job. I kept a book with names of brothers in the various cities, and if I was traveling to a certain city, I would call a brother and let him know. Most of the time we would get together. I was always able to call on a brother. We kept a network of brothers in different cities.”
Advice
“To the collegiate and alumni brothers, keep up and maintain your network of brothers, and make sure you develop them.”
Hopes and Dreams for Gamma Xi Lambda
“Just continue to bring in good brothers. Keep the fraternity alive. Keep moving forward with the various initiatives and programs, and service to the community. Make sure that Alpha is at the forefront of everything. Continue to be leaders of men.”
Brother John Robinson currently resides in Burnsville, MN with his wife Yvonne of forty-one years and counting. He enjoys spending time with Yvonne and seeing his daughter Brittany, who is an opera and classical singer. His favorite pastime since retirement is playing golf.
Brother John Robinson currently resides in Burnsville, MN with his wife Yvonne of forty-one years and counting. He enjoys spending time with Yvonne and seeing his daughter Brittany, who is an opera and classical singer. His favorite pastime since retirement is playing golf.