One of the first top elected officials in Syracuse to call for the removal of the I-81 viaduct passed away over the weekend. Former common council president Van Robinson was also a long-time advocate for the African American community.
Robinson was transferred from New York City to Syracuse for work in the late 1960’s, and he never left. When he first arrived, he recalled being shocked to see a highway running through the heart of the city. Robinson was overjoyed 50 years later when the state made its first recommendation to remove the viaduct in 2019 and replace it with a community grid. He also called for unity on an issue that divided the community.
“We have not yet sat down and said 'forget the city borderlines, forget the county and town borderlines,'" Robinson said. "How do we make this the best for all of us. That means there's going to be a little give, a little take on everyone's behalf."
Robinson was a longtime leader of the Syracuse chapter of the NAACP, helping revive the it when he moved to Syracuse. He helped establish the Pan-African Village at the state fair, which now bears his name. WAER News caught up with Robinson before he headed to nation's capital on the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington in 2013. Car trouble in New Jersey forced him and his friends to abandon their trip in 1963, but he was able to make it to the 25th anniversary celebration.
“There's still a long way to go before every citizen in this country can say I am an American, say it with pride, and have no qualms about trying to achieve whatever it is they wish to achieve in this country to be successful, and that no barriers would be remaining.”
Robinson began his political career as an appointee to the common council in 1999. He won successive terms and served through 2017. In an interview looking back on his tenure, he marveled at how his time in Syracuse spanned generations.
“The mayor was Bill Walsh, and as I leave my political life, it's ironic, but the mayor elect is his grandson, Ben Walsh.”
Despite health challenges in his final years, Robinson made appearances at many events. He died Saturday at age 87.