The Precious Advocate for Africa

Dr. Leonard H. Robinson, an advocate for progressive and peaceful Africa, passed away on Tuesday July 25, 2006 in Washington, DC. He was 63.

"He was a true servant of the public, whose leadership and dedication changed lives on two different continents….….He was committed to making Africa a full partner in the global community," said Judith McHale, president and CEO of Discovery Communications.

Dr. Robinson’s carrier in civil service started in the early 1960s as a Peace Corps volunteer in India from 1964 to 1967. Among many posts he held in the U.S. government, he served two terms as deputy assistant secretary of State for Africa.

In themid 1980s, he was a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Additionally, for six years, Dr. Robinson served as president of the U.S. African Development Foundation, which was established by Congress in 1981 to provide financial assistance for grassroots enterprises in Africa.

In early 1990s, he coordinated U.S. policy toward parts of Africa. He demonstrated his superior work in conflict resolution as the director of U.S. diplomatic efforts to end Liberia's civil war.

In 1997, Robinson established the LHR International Group, which is a firm that provided consulting services for African and Asian leaders.

To expand his effort to build support for African the United States, he joined the National Summit on Africa as a board member the same year. Mr. Robinson was also advisory councils of the National Peace Corps Association, and Discovery Channel's Global Education Fund.

In 2001, Mr. Robinson and colleagues founded The Africa Society. The mission of the Africa Society is to educate Americans about the greatness and the resourcefulness of Africa.

In 2004, the University of Virginia appointed Robinson as its first Diplomat Scholar in Residence.

Dr. Robinson was born in North Carolina. He attended Ohio State University and the State University of New York, Binghamton, the American University and Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

He received two honorary doctoral degrees and taught African Studies at the University of Massachusetts.

Among many of his valuable contribution to the development of Africa, his work on conflict resolution is important for the current and future generation. To mention some of his findings, “Simply put: the wars in Africa must stop!! (there are hopeful signs that resolutions are occurring in at least nine (9) conflict zones)… African-Americans - - as the core of the African Diaspora can and have played critical roles in helping to resolve and prevent conflict in Africa.”

According to The Africa Society, “Robinson is survived by two daughters, Rani Robinson of Washington, DC, Kemberley Robinson of Houston, Texas, his mother, Winnie T. Robinson of Durham, North Carolina, and a brother, Dr. Michael Robinson of Los Angeles, California.

A memorial service will be held on August 15 at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC at 10:30 am. Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Young, who is chair emeritus of the Africa Society board, is scheduled to deliver the eulogy.”