In an Op-ed written by Andrew Betson ’04, he is making the push for the city of St. Louis to Honor the United States Army’s first African American four-star general with a star on the Delmar Loop’s St. Louis Walk of Fame.
Betson’s article states, “General Roscoe Robinson Jr.’s upbringing in St. Louis and subsequent service in the Army through a time of great tribulation clearly exemplify that he is worthy of a star. His life should serve as inspiration for all Americans, particularly at this time, since he clearly stands for all that is great in our country. West Point honors him, as does the University of Pittsburgh. The Loop should make space for a third U.S. Army general.”
“Robinson was born in 1928 into a blue-collar family in St. Louis city, where he would attend what was the first high school for black students west of the Mississippi River — Sumner High School. His father worked in a foundry during the toughest times of the Great Depression and wanted more for his children. In his oral history, Robinson said that his father refused his request to work in the foundry at age 16, telling him to focus on his education. This set him on a path to enter the nearby, venerable St. Louis University. But that was a brief stop.” Read more.