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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING MORRIS “DINO” ROBINSON FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO PRESERVING BLACK HISTORY OF THE NORTH SHORE
WHEREAS, Morris “Dino” Robinson spent over 25 years tirelessly documenting and preserving the history of African Americans in the North Shore region; and
WHEREAS, Dino Robinson holds a BA degree in Communication Design and a minor in African American Studies from Loyola University; and
WHEREAS, throughout his career, he operated Robinson Design, was an instructor at Apple and was an Art Director within various advertising firms in Chicago, IL; and
WHEREAS, Dino Robinson currently serves as the Production Manager at Northwestern University Press; and
WHEREAS, his independent research led to the establishment of Shorefront, an organization he pioneered in 1995 that documents the African American experience on the North Shore; and
WHEREAS, with Shorefront Legacy Center, he has written three books, produces the Shorefront Journal, hosted lectures, assembled several traveling exhibits, and has built its archives from a few news clippings to over 275 linear feet of photographs, documents and ephemera for public use; and
WHEREAS, Dino Robinson works directly with Black residents of North Shore communities to collect and preserve family history to be included at the Shorefront Legacy Center; and
WHEREAS, Dino Robinson’s research has led to Shorefront Legacy Center serving as one of the main research engines that has powered the passing of country’s first reparations bill enacted in Evanston, IL towards the repair of harm to the Black Community; and
WHEREAS, Dino Robinson is an active member of the Evanston community and broader professional community as a past Board President of the Evanston History Center, Evanston Neighborhood Conference, Co-founder of the Organization of Black Designers, Chicago Chapter (now Osmosis) and a board member of the Black Metropolis Research Consortium; and
WHEREAS, Dino has appeared on WTTW Chicago Tonight, Channel 7 and 5 evening news, various local Cable Access TV, WBEZ, WNUA and WNUR radio, Chicago Tribune Magazine, The Chicago Reader and various local North Shore publications.
WHEREAS, he has been the recipient of several awards, including the “Award for Excellence” from the Illinois Association of Museums and the “Diversity Award” from the Society of American Archivists; and
WHEREAS, his community recognized him with the key to the City of Evanston, named a part of Church St. for his work preserving the North Shore’s Black history, and named November 28th Morris “Dino” Robinson Day in Evanston, Illinois; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Commissioners of Cook County hereby honors Morris “Dino” Robinson during Black History Month for his decades of tireless work in documenting and preserving Black history of the North Shore; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this Resolution be provided to Morris “Dino” Robinson.
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