J. Eric Robinson
J. Eric Robinson is an American historian, educator, and writer whose research focuses on African American history,[1] the Underground Railroad,[2][3] and communities of color in the antebellum Midwest.[2] He is an assistant professor of history at the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis, Missouri.[2][4][5][6]
Early life and education
Robinson earned a Bachelor of Arts in Classics from Howard University in 1987.[7]While pursuing his MFA at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, Robinson participated in literary nonfiction workshops, which he later discussed in an interview about his early development as a writer.[8]He later expanded his writing to include historical fiction and drama, including the one-act play The Strong Man, produced in New York in 2018.[9][10]
Career
He held a teaching position at Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey, Illinois.[11]
In 2013, Robinson joined the faculty of the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis.[2] He has taught interdisciplinary courses such as Global Heritage, Art of Autobiography, and James Baldwin's America.[6][11] Robinson's scholarship focuses on the role of free Black communities in the pre-Civil War Midwest, particularly in relation to the Underground Railroad.[3][6] One of his published work include Skip Macalester.[1]
In 1996, Robinson's short story "Waiting on Eurydice" was published in Men on Men 6, an anthology of gay fiction edited by David Bergman and released by Penguin/Plume. In a review of the anthology in the Gay People's Chronicle, the story is described as depicting a boy's coming of age in the American South.[12]
Robinson's academic work explores the contributions of free African American communities in the antebellum Midwest, with particular attention to their involvement in the Underground Railroad.[6][3]
Research and Writing
- Pin Oak Colony: The Gestation, MCHS News (2020), also reprinted in the Madison County Historical Encyclopedia.[13]
- Pin Oak Colony, Illinois History Teacher (1999)[14]
- Skip Macalester[15][1]
Awards and Recognition
- 2005 Illinois Arts Council Literary Award[7]
- 2006 Paperback Pick by American Booksellers Association[7]
Public history and outreach
Robinson has contributed to public education on African American history and the Underground Railroad through local history tours, public lectures, and community events. He has served as a guide in Alton, Illinois, highlighting historical sites such as the Enos Apartments and Union Baptist Church, which were linked to Underground Railroad activity. In a 2012 BBC Travel article, he was featured providing historical interpretation for a riverboat tour, discussing 19th-century African American life and regional antislavery efforts.[6]His outreach efforts have also been noted in various local and regional media, including coverage by STLPR, Riverbender, and Fox Illinois.[5][3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Boarding-School Book Bonanza". The New York Public Library. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Discovering the Underground Railroad – Historic Elsah Foundation". January 27, 2022. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Eric Robinson shows the importance local history during Underground Rail Road Tour". RiverBender.com. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
- ↑ admin (April 19, 2012). "Against Borders". Literal Magazine. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Uncovering The Underground Railroad's Hidden Past In The Metro East". STLPR. 2020-02-28. Retrieved 2025-06-19.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 "Riverboats return to the Mississippi". www.bbc.com. November 22, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Illinois Center for the Book -- Illinois Authors -- Individual Author Record". www.illinoisauthors.org. Retrieved 2025-06-19.
- ↑ Archives, The Official Niche Literary Magazine (2018-10-29). "A Chat with J.E. Robinson". The Official Niche Literary Magazine Archives. Retrieved 2025-06-19.
- ↑ jaymichaelsae (2018-03-19). "J.E. Robinson is a STRONG MAN at DUAF". Arts Independent. Retrieved 2025-07-04.
- ↑ "Dorian Palumbo reviews Strong Man … A Strong Work". Drama Queens, a five-star arts journal focusing on female artists. 2018-04-23. Retrieved 2025-07-04.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Eligon, John (May 13, 2010). "Strolling Old Halls and Streets With Ghosts of Civil War". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
- ↑ Boone, Bob (February 21, 1997). ""A Good Men's Story Is Easy To Find in this Volume" Review by Bob Boone, Gay People's Chronicle (1997)". Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Pin Oak Colony – Madison Historical". Retrieved 2025-06-19.
- ↑ Robinson, J. Eric. "Pin Oak Colony: The Gestation" (PDF). p. 7.
- ↑ Robinson, J. E. (2006). Skip Macalester. New York: Southern Tier Editions, Harrington Park Press. ISBN 978-1-56023-576-7. OCLC 60826521. Search this book on
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