Comments on: The Case of Melaku E. Bayen and John Robinson: Ethiopia, America and the Pan-African Movement

By: herbert leon stokes 3rd

herbert leon stokes 3rd — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:38:29 +0000

I am the great grand nephew of the brown condor. His mother, my great grandmother Celeste Cobb and his sister, Bertha Stokes. My grandmother always told stories about my uncle. It inspired generations of men and women in my family, yet many African American heroes have been forgotten and unsung. We need more research and educational dispursement of the thousands of African Americans who made a difference to the world and not just race.

Herbert leon stokes III

By: Tyrone Haymore

Tyrone Haymore — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 06:04:02 +0000

I am director of the Robbins History Museum at 3644 W.139th ST. Robbins, IL 60472. On August 28,2010 (Saturday) We will be having our Grand Opening, the public is invited (Free Admision).

Robbins, IL is the oldest Afr-Amr Municipality in the (Northern Half) of the United STates. John C. Robinson and Cornelius R. Coffey together built America’s first black owned, and Operated Airport in the United States in Robbins, IL. Our museum’s main exhibit will center around John C. Robinson’s Airport in Robbins. We are sister-museum to the planned John C. Robinson Museum in Gulfport, MS. We do have a lot of information about John C. Robinson.

Perhaps you and your online audience would be interested in visiting our Museum. We are a southwest suburb of Chicago, IL. For more information contact me>

Tyrone Haymore
P.O. Box 1561
Robbins, IL 60472
(708)389-5393
email: robbinshistory@yahoo.com

By: Simba

Simba — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:03:38 +0000

Sir,

Shocking to discover there are actually some Ethiopians who identify with being BLACK Africans. All the Ethiopians I have met in the diaspora are offended when you call them Black Africans.

Hats off to Melaku Bayen.

Simba

By: African American and Ethiopian Relations at Tadias Magazine

African American and Ethiopian Relations at Tadias Magazine — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 07:18:04 +0000

[...] The Case of Melaku E. Bayen & John Robinson (Tadias) [...]

By: William Kerrigan

William Kerrigan — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 18:10:48 +0000

Great resource on Melaku Bayen. Some of the details about his education are a bit confused, however. I don’t believe he attended Marietta College, but was a student in the Muskingum Academy–a prep school associated with Muskingum College–in the 1920s. The yearbook has a picture of him in the senior class of 1924-25. I have been digging through the college archives trying to find more information about him, with little luck. We do have several Ethiopian Books, presumably a gift from Bayen, one of the other two Ethiopian students who attended in these years, or Selassie’s government, which sent them here.

By: Phil Tucker

Phil Tucker — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 16:23:14 +0000

Sirs,

I am also searching for information on John C. Robinson, including any photos of his gravesite in Ethiopia or any photos of him. Also can I get an address for Mr. Anthony Oliver Thomas?
Any assistance would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Phil Tucker

By: Harlem rekindles old friendship at Tadias Magazine

Harlem rekindles old friendship at Tadias Magazine — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 21:00:20 +0000

[...] The Case of Melaku E. Bayen & John Robinson (Tadias) [...]

By: Anthony Oliver Thomas

Anthony Oliver Thomas — Wed, 23 May 2007 05:37:23 +0000

I may be able to give you more information on Col John C. Robinson. You see I am 78 years young and from Gulfport, Missippi.

By: Tasse Hezekiel

Tasse Hezekiel — Thu, 17 May 2007 03:13:32 +0000

The case of Melaku Beyene is certainly one of the hidden Ethiopian classics that many Ethiopian in Diaspora like myself are not very much familiar with. Many thanks for Tadias and Ayele Bekerie for a good research and excellent presentation. Malaku Beyene was defintely a heroe in the 1930th.He is my heroe in the 21st century.

Tasse Hezekiel

By: Renee Hague

Renee Hague — Tue, 08 May 2007 18:00:07 +0000

When I googled John Robinson from Gulfport..it said there was an organization in Gulfport to support him….then I didn’t see it in the article. Could you enlighten me? I work in a library on the Gulf Coast and we are trying to find out more about J.R.

Thanks,

Renee Gautier-Hague
Local History/Genealogy

By: Andrew Laurence

Andrew Laurence — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 16:17:02 +0000

Mr. Whitehead,

You can get more information about Colonel John C. Robinson in his biography called “The Brown Condor” written by T.E. Simmons. It is out of print but you can find it on amazon.com. I would also research the archives of the Chicago Defender newspapers.

FYI – There is a school in Ethiopia named after him and he is buried in Gulele cemetary in Addis Ababa. I am spearheading a proposal to name an airport in Ethiopia after him for the Ethiopian Millennium. There is an organization in his hometown of Gulfport, Mississippi to honor his memory. There is also a scholarship fund for young student pilots in Chicago.

Good luck in your important and appreciated effort collect and pass on to your family and others information about this extraordinary African American aviation pioneer and Ethiopian war hero.

Andrew Laurence

By: P. T. Whitehead

P. T. Whitehead — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 19:01:10 +0000

I’m an American-born African American and was really shocked when researching Colonel John Robinson, I could not find any information regarding him except that given by your publication.

Colonel was the hero for my grandmother’s and mother’s generation and was related to my family by marriage. I’m so disappointed that I could not find any infomration in America’s websites and literation and I’m really glad that he and his accomplishment still exist through your accounts of African history (both African and Afican American) and I can glean this information for my children and granchildren. I shall endeavor on to find more biographical information about Colonel Robinson and if you should come across any more information, please do not hesitate to inform me of this.

I’m thanking you over and over again.

P.T. Whitehead!!!