Virginia Department of Historic Resources
(dhr.virginia.gov)
For Immediate Release

Contact:
Ivy Tan
Department of Historic Resources
Marketing & Communications Manager
ivy.tan@dhr.virginia.gov
804-482-6445

State Historical Marker Dedicated in Cumberland County for John Robinson, Black Virginia Senator During Reconstruction

—The marker recalls the legacy of John Robinson, a free person of color who served in the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1867-68 and as a state senator after the American Civil War—

—Text of marker reproduced below—

PLEASE NOTE: DHR creates markers not to “honor” their subjects but rather to educate and inform the public about a person, place, or event of regional, state, or national importance. In this regard, erected markers are not memorials.

RICHMOND – A state historical marker approved by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) was unveiled in Cumberland County on February 28 for John Robinson, a Black politician and businessman who served in Virginia’s state government during the Reconstruction era.

The dedication ceremony for the marker was held on Friday at the marker’s location on 1474 Anderson Highway in Cumberland (23040). The event was free and open to the public.

The dedication began with a performance by the Cumberland Jazz Band under the direction of Victoria Kinney. After the marker was unveiled, Cumberland Middle School students Nikki Brandt and Barry Jones, along with descendants of John Robinson, Dale G. Robinson and William Tinsley, read the text of the historical marker. DHR Community Outreach Coordinator LaToya Gray-Sparks attended the dedication on behalf of the department. Guests were offered a chance to visit the Cumberland County Historical Society Museum after the dedication's conclusion for an exhibition on Robinson’s life and career.

John Robinson was born a free person of color in Cumberland County in about 1825. Formerly known as John Lipscomb, he owned land and worked as a wagoner in the county before the Civil War. Robinson fled to Amelia County after he was attacked twice by White men in 1864. He later used the local courts to convict many of his attackers and to defend his property rights. An active Republican during Reconstruction, he became one of 24 African Americans elected to serve in Virginia’s Constitutional Convention of 1867-68, where he voted with radical reformers. During his tenure as a state senator from 1869 to 1873, he helped establish Virginia’s new public school system and voted to ratify the 14th and 15th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, which, respectively, guarantee citizenship to all people born in the United States, including those formerly enslaved, and protect the voting rights of Black men. Robinson later returned to Cumberland County, where he owned and operated the Effingham House tavern for 30 years.

The Virginia Board of Historic Resources, which is authorized to designate new state historical markers, approved the manufacture and installation of the John Robinson (ca. 1825-1908) historical marker in March 2024. The marker’s sponsor, Cumberland Middle School, received an anonymous donation to cover its manufacturing cost.

Virginia’s historical highway marker program began in 1927 with installation of the first markers along U.S. Route 1. It is considered the oldest such program in the nation. Currently there are more than 2,600 state markers, mostly maintained by the Virginia Department of Transportation, except in those localities outside of VDOT’s authority.

Full Text of Marker:

John Robinson (ca. 1825-1908)

John Robinson (born John Lipscomb), a free person of color from Cumberland Co., was a wagoner and landowner before the Civil War. Twice attacked by White men in 1864, he fled to Amelia Co. and later used the local courts to convict many of his attackers and defend his property rights. An active Republican during Reconstruction, he was one of 24 African Americans elected to serve in Virginia’s Constitutional Convention of 1867-68, where he voted with radical reformers. As a state senator (1869-73), he helped set up Virginia’s new public school system and voted to ratify the 14th and 15th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. For 30 years he owned and operated the Effingham House tavern near here.

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