Rev. James Robinson (March 21, 1753 – March 27, 1868) was an American preacher and soldier. Born on the

Eastern Shore of Maryland The Eastern Shore of Maryland is a part of the U.S. state of Maryland that lies mostly on the east side of the Chesapeake Bay. Nine counties are normally included in the region. The Eastern Shore is part of the larger Delmarva Peninsula that Ma ...

into bondage on March 21, 1753, his enslaver was Francis De Shields. Robinson served under the General

Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette, Marquis de La Fayette (; 6 September 1757 – 20 May 1834), known in the United States as Lafayette (), was a French military officer and politician who volunteered to join the Conti ...

and would become a significant African American soldier in the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

Revolutionary War service

Robinson's enslaver, Francis De Shields, had him enlist at age 24 and fight in a Virginia Light Infantry Regiment with the promise that he could earn his freedom. His regiment was one of several African American regiments under the command of the General

. He fought in the

Battle of Brandywine The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American Continental Army of General George Washington and the British Army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777, as part of the Am ...

which was a British victory. Also White Haven, Roanoke River, Ragged Point, on Dorset County River, Vienna Ferry, and Cambridge. On October 14, 1781, he led the charge of 400 American troops up British redoubt #10 at the

Siege of Yorktown The siege of Yorktown, also known as the Battle of Yorktown and the surrender at Yorktown, was the final battle of the American Revolutionary War. It was won decisively by the Continental Army, led by George Washington, with support from the Ma ...

and he attacked and defeated three British soldiers at once and the redoubt was captured. General

, was so impressed with his actions that he awarded Robinson a Gold Medal of Valor. This would make him the highest decorated African American veteran of the Revolutionary War. He was one of between 5,000 and 10,000 African Americans who served on the American side in the Revolutionary War.

War of 1812 service

After the Revolutionary War, De Shields reneged on his promise to free Robinson and sold him in New Orleans back into slavery in Louisiana. His new master Calvin Smith was cruel and unforgiving, according to Robinson. His cousin was whipped, salted, and put in the

stocks Stocks are feet and hand restraining devices that were used as a form of corporal punishment and public humiliation. The use of stocks is seen as early as Ancient Greece, where they are described as being in use in Solon's law code. The law de ...

, dying from the trauma within a week of being brought to Smith's Second Creek plantation in the Natchez District. Soon thereafter,

Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before Presidency of Andrew Jackson, his presidency, he rose to fame as a general in the U.S. Army and served in both houses ...

traveled to Smith's to enlist 500 enslaved men to prepare for the

Battle of New Orleans The Battle of New Orleans was fought on January 8, 1815, between the British Army under Major General Sir Edward Pakenham and the United States Army under Brevet Major General Andrew Jackson, roughly 5 miles (8 km) southeast of the Frenc ...

. Roberts was one of these 500 men. During an engagement, one of Robinson's fingers was shot off in battle. Also, at some point, he was struck by a saber in the head, leaving a scar he would carry his whole life. After the American victory, soldiers gathered around General

, and he announced that the enslaved men who had fought would not be freed after all. According to Robinson in a slave narrative he dictated shortly before the American Civil War, Jackson lectured his fellow white officers on the perpetuation of slavery in America:

"Never," said he, "suffer negroes to have arms; if you do, they will take the country. Suffer them to have no kind of weapons over ten inches long. Never allow them to have a piece of paper with any writing on it whatever. You must examine your slaves very closely, for the time is coming when the slave will get light; and if ever his mind is enlightened on the subject of freedom, you cannot keep him. One slave bought from the East will ruin a multitude of those raised here. Before a slave of mine should go free, I would put him in a barn and burn him alive. Gentlemen, take me at my word; for if you do not, you will be sorry for it before many years. Never arm another set of
colored people ''Colored'' (or ''coloured'') is a racial descriptor historically used in the United States during the Jim Crow era to refer to an African American. In many places, it may be considered a slur. Dictionary definitions The word ''colored'' was ...
. We have fooled them now, but never trust them again; they will not be fooled again with this example before them. If you do, you will repent of it but once."

Robinson thought about taking his gun and shooting General

right then and there but decided against it.

Later life

In 1825, Robinson once again met Lafayette during his return tour of the United States. Robinson obtained his freedom in the 1830s, and became an ordained minister. According to the 1840 and 1850 U.S. Censuses, he was living in

Butler County, Ohio Butler County is a County (United States), county located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 390,357. Its county seat and largest city is Hamilton, Ohio, Ham ...

with his wife Curtilda. They had two sons, Alexander and Wesley Sr. Wesley would go on to serve in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

in the 102nd United States Colored Infantry Regiment. According to the 1860 U.S. Census, Robinson and his family had moved to and were living in

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

. Robinson wrote ''The Narrative of James Roberts'', a

slave narrative The slave narrative is a type of literary genre involving the (written) autobiographical accounts of enslaved persons, particularly African diaspora, Africans enslaved in the Americas, though many other examples exist. Over six thousand such narra ...

about his life using the assumed name of James Roberts. At the time of Robinson's death, he lived at 137 East Fort Street in Detroit. Robinson's family lived at 136 W. Lafayette Blvd in Detroit, which is now a private park called Lafayette Greens. In the 1860s, Roberts lived in

. Robinson died in Detroit on March 27, 1868, at the age of 115. During his funeral, large crowds gathered to watch. He was the last living African American veteran of the Revolutionary War at the time and the oldest person buried in Elmwood Cemetery. His last known living descendant was Gertrude Robinson, his granddaughter, who died in

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

in 1983.

Military honors at last

On June 22, 2019, a joint grave marking ceremony was held at Elmwood Cemetery by the Michigan societies of the

Sons of the American Revolution The Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), formally the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (NSSAR), is a federally chartered patriotic organization. The National Society, a nonprofit corporation headquartered in Louisvi ...

and General Society of the War of 1812. Military honors with assistance from the

American Legion The American Legion, commonly known as the Legion, is an Voluntary association, organization of United States, U.S. war veterans headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. It comprises U.S. state, state, Territories of the United States, U.S. terr ...

were conducted 151 years after his death. Many dignitaries spoke including U.S. Representative

Rashida Tlaib Rashida Harbi Tlaib ( ; born July 24, 1976) is an American lawyer and politician serving as a U.S. representative from Michigan since 2019, representing the state's 12th congressional district since 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, sh ...

and Maj. Gen. Leonard Isabelle of the Michigan Air National Guard and Sen. Gary Peters provided a letter that was read. Tlaib had read Robinson's achievements into the U.S. Congressional Record and presented a certificate which was sent to the National Mall Liberty Fund D.C. The National Mall Liberty Fund D.C. is working to build the National Liberty Memorial, which will memorialize the African American contribution to Independence.

Revolutionary War service

War of 1812 service

Later life

Military honors at last

References

Further reading