They Call Me Jimmy Joe

Jimmy Joe Robinson had an ordinary childhood in his hometown of Connellsville, Pennsylvania, but he went on to lead an extraordinary life.

His first great passion was sports. Robinson lettered in football, basketball, and track and became a football all-star. Legendary coach Clark Shaughnessy, the inventor of the T formation, recruited Robinson for the University of Pittsburgh, where he became the first black man to play any sport for the school. Later, Robinson was drafted by the Cleveland Browns, but he was also drafted by the army, and he readily traded football fame for a chance to serve his country.

His second great passion was the Presbyterian Church. After his military service, Robinson became a minister. He joined the Bidwell Presbyterian Church in the Manchester area of Pittsburgh and, with his wife, Betty, worked hard to improve the community.

His third great passion was civil rights. Robinson felt a call to action and, in 1964, travelled to Mississippi to help African Americans register to vote. He was jailed but nevertheless went on to march from Montgomery to Selma alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Learn more about Robinson’s truly remarkable life in this fascinating new biography.