Local man important part of Black History

By Maurice Emery
Editor

In celebration of black history month the Littleton Observer highlights a local black man who made an impact on our community that is still felt today.

Often times when people consider history they overlook recent history.  In Littleton we have a man whose first job was as a share cropper and over 100 years after his birth will have a street named after him.  Samuel Robinson, Sr. spent his entire life in Littleton and through those years he left more than just the funeral home that bears his family name. 

Born on October 26, 1903 Sam, as he was known, held many jobs throughout his life.  He started off as a share cropper in the 1920’s on a local farm.  When he died he owned hundreds of acres of farmland. 

During the 30’s he delivered coal to the Littleton community with his horse and wagon.  During that time he would unload the coal from the cars of the Seaboard Airline system.  (During the 1930’s the name of the railroad was changed from Seaboard Airline Railway to the Seaboard Airline Railroad.)

In 1931 Sam along with his sister, Lorena Alston and her husband, William opened up the Alston-Robinson Funeral Home.  They were located where the parking lot to Grand-pas kitchen is now.  Back in those days a funeral directors job was quite different than it is today.  Back then not all wakes were held at the funeral home, many of them were held in the house of the deceased. 

In 1945 Sam and his wife Ida bought the business and changed the name to Robinson Funeral Home. Sam and Ida operated the funeral home together until his death in 1976.  Today it is owned and operated by his wife, Ida Mills Robinson and their sons, Larry Jack and Sam, Jr. Sam serves as the funeral director and business manager, while Jack is the licensed mortician.

At that time black people had a difficult time getting financing for businesses so they had to do whatever they could to keep there business alive and their family fed.  Sam had several jobs and a couple of other businesses. In the 1940’s he was a long haul trucker up and down the east coast carrying lumber and tobacco.

He operated a small service station at the corner of Rt. 158 and East End Ave. The old building is still standing, but in somewhat disrepair. 

Sam did more than just sell a few groceries and ice, a rarity at that time, he provided a place for local folk to get together on a daily basis.  The building that now looks so run down was once alive with people playing checkers and dominos. 

In the winter time they would light up the old pot belly stove with wood or coal and sit around telling stories.  This was before television so folks had the time to enjoy their neighbors and Sam enjoyed having them.

Everyone knew Sam as a hard worker and a peace maker.  He was a community leader and a mentor.  He was known for helping others and encouraging them to be successful. 

He was also known as a friend to everyone. His family knew him as an adventurous person who taught them to work hard and do it right.  “He was a stickler for things being done in a proper manner, the right way,” Sam Jr. stated. 

When the motion came up at a recent town commissioners meeting to rename East End Ave. in honor of Sam Robinson, Sr. Mayor Mason Hawfield and several board members talked about the hidden things Sam did for the community.  They related, with fondness, stories of him helping to settle conflicts or just helping people. 

When television came along Sam enjoyed watching the original Untouchables and Perry Mason.  You may enjoy those same shows now on cable.

Sam lived long enough to see the chapel built on the funeral home.  He died in January 1976 and was the second person whose funeral prayers were held in the then new Chapel.  The Funeral Services were held at Enon Baptist Church in Littleton. 

At that time the Littleton Observer had a simple front page article about his death and funeral.  That was the custom at the time.  They put most of the death notices on the front page of the paper.  Back then it seemed like everyone in town knew one another so the word of his death and funeral probably got around to everyone in town before the paper went out.  

Sam left a lasting impression on the townspeople who knew him.  According to the comments people made about Sam the color of your skin did not mean much to him, he was far more concerned with your character. 

There are many ways to remember a man it seems only fitting that we remember Sam as part of Black History Month.  It is even more fitting that thirty years after his death the townspeople still remember him so fondly that they want to name a street after him.

Visit the Robinson Funeral Home website at: www.robinsonfuneralhomenc.com