Frank Edward Robinson was born on April 25, 1937, in White Plains, New York, to Adkin and Mary Robinson. He spent nearly seventy-five years of his life in The Bronx, New York, where he was educated in New York City public schools and later studied acting at the American Community Theater under the direction of Maxwell Glanville.
Frank served in the United States Marine Corps from 1956, and later worked for the United Postal Service until his retirement in 2001. He was married to Claretha Fleming on November 27, 1965, and they had three children together.
Frank's true passion was for the arts, particularly as a vehicle for cultural and political awareness. He was one of the founders of the African Jazz Arts Society and Studios (AJASS),which was a precursor to the Black Arts and "Black is Beautiful" movements. He also served as the Director of the AJASS Repertory Theater, where he staged and appeared in various productions.
As a professional actor, Frank performed in numerous stage productions, including Amiri Baraka's Slave Ship, Ray Aranha's My Sister, My Sister, and August Wilson's Joe Turner's Come and Gone and Two Trains Running. He also appeared in various films and television shows, including Across 110th Street, Fort Apache The Bronx, Love and Death, Taxi Driver, Heart, For Love of the Game, and Malcolm X.
Frank was deeply committed to Pan Africanism, family, and community. He and his wife Claretha opened the Pan African Learning Center, a school that was funded and operated by a small parent cooperative group and staffed by licensed educational professionals. They also sponsored an annual family camp experience for extended family and young people in the community.
Frank loved his family and friends, and was known for telling stories about his life experiences. He enjoyed listening to Jazz, watching classic films, and spending time with his loved ones. He was a mentor and inspiration to his grandchildren, and will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
Frank Edward Robinson passed away on December 1, 2018, at the age of 81, leaving behind his wife Claretha, three children, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren, as well as a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and close friends.
