Robin Washington

Columnist, Editor, Producer

Robin Washington

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ROBIN WASHINGTON grew up in a Chicago family of Black and Jewish civil rights activists, participating in sit-ins and protests when he was three years old — events he recalls fondly as “family outings,” though history records them as dangerous… Continue Reading →

Forty years after this mine closed, Silver Bay has reinvented itself

The 1986 shutdown of Reserve Mining erased 500 jobs, forcing Silver Bay to redefine itself from a company town. Robin WashingtonMInnesota Star Tribune August 1, 2026 On July 31, 1986, Lee and Myrna Benoit’s lives changed forever, along with nearly… Continue Reading →

Remembering Isabell Tusin, whose active mind carried her through 108 years of Superior and American history

Born in Superior in 1917, Tusin recalled bustling Tower Avenue, discrimination against Jewish students, pioneering careers for women, and personal ties to Richard Bong and John Blatnik. Robin Washington | Wisconsin Public Radio | July 21, 2026 One of Wisconsin’s… Continue Reading →

One-way glass gives crime a free pass at Duluth transit center

The obscured-from-view police substation undermines the very law enforcement presence other transit systems use to discourage disorder. Robin Washington | The Minnesota Star Tribune | June 24, 2026 Somebody call the cops. If that sounds like the setup for a… Continue Reading →

Jet magazine profile of Jean — January 1961

Jean Birkenstein Washington Centennial to Feature Exhibits and Forums Celebrating Artist and Civil Rights Activist

Events honor civil rights leader and teacher who fought for justice and bridged Chicago’s street gangs through art This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Jean Birkenstein Washington (1926–2003), a Chicago artist, educator and civil rights organizer… Continue Reading →

Robin Washington speaks on History of the Black and Jewish Civil Rights Movements

The PBS series ‘Black and Jewish America’ gets it right — except the Black and Jewish part

The documentary traces years of alliance and rupture — but its false binary perpetuates stereotypes

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