Robbins, Illinois

Chicagoland municipality
muni-name = Robbins
muni = Village
date = 1917
state = Illinois
county = Cook
tcounty = Cook
township = Bremen
township2 = Worth
gov =
head_label = Mayor
gov_head = Irene H. Brodie
pop = 6,635
density-km = 1,742.7
density-mi = 4,516.0
status = down
percent = 11.51
prevyear = 1990
white = 1.82
black = 96.25
hispanic = 1.94
asian = 0.08
islander = 0.00
native = 0.12
other = 0.93
zips = 60472
acode = 708
area-km = 3.8
area-mi = 1.5
pci = 9,837
geocode = 64616
mhi = 24,145
mnhv = 55,300
mhv = 65,609 (2000)
website = www.robbins-il.com

Robbins is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,635 at the 2000 census. Irene H. Brodie is the current mayor of the city.

Geography

Robbins is located at coor dms|41|38|35|N|87|42|29|W|city (41.642933, -87.708148)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.8 km²), all of it land. The village is the fifth oldest African American incorporated municipality in the US. At one time Robbins, IL was called the Harlem of the Midwest. With many great contributors to the society in the areas of science- technology, business ( SB Fuller), Military Flight, and many others.

Demographics

As of the 2000 censusGR|2, there were 6,635 people, 1,985 households, and 1,490 families residing in the village. The population density was 4,516.0 people per square mile (1,742.7/km²). There were 2,138 housing units at an average density of 1,455.2/sq mi (561.6/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 1.82% White, 96.25% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.93% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.94% of the population. [PDFlink| [http://censtats.census.gov/data/IL/1601764616.pdf Profile of General Demographic Characteristics, Robbins, Illinois] |38.6 KiB . U.S. Census Bureau. Accessed 2007-07-11.]

There were 1,985 households out of which 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.1% were married couples living together, 40.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 22.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.13 and the average family size was 3.63.

In the village the population was spread out with 32.3% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $24,145, and the median income for a family was $27,602. Males had a median income of $31,667 versus $22,574 for females. The per capita income for the village was $9,837. About 30.2% of families and 35.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 44.3% of those under age 18 and 22.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Robbins is in Illinois' 1st congressional district. Robbins is home to the Illinois National Guard 2nd Battalion 122 Field Artillery, Company G, 634th Brigade Support Battalion, 108TH Signal Company, 633D Personnel Service Detachment, Early Entry Element, 108TH Brigade Troops Battalion. With soldiers proudly serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Transportation

Robbins is served by station on Metra's Rock Island District commuter rail line. Robbins is served by many PACE bus routes with important terminate such as Midway International Airport, UPS's Hodgkins Center, CTA's 95th Street Red Line Station, and Moraine Valley Community College.

Interstate 294 runs through Robbins, but it has no exits within the village limits. Access to Interstates 57 and 294 are within a five- eight minute drive.

Midway International Airport is within a 15- 20 minute drive. Also home to MDW's southern approach radar tower. O' Hare International Airport is within a 30-45 minute drive via Interstate 294 using the IL-50/ 83 Cicero Exit.

During the years 1930-1933, Robbins, IL was home to the First Airport that was owned and operated by African Americans in the United States. This also was the only flight school at the time where African American could be trained as pilots and served as a model for the Tuskigee Airmen Program during W.W.II. Many great African American Pilots flew into this great lost and forgotten airport. Many of the surrounding White communities such as Blue Island and Midlothian did not approve of this activity. Many of the Black Pilots were arrested by those towns after they landed in Robbins. The one runway airport and hanger was sadly destroyed by a tornado during the year of 1933. School and operations were relocated by the invitation of white owners of the Harlem Airport in Chicago (Was located south of present-day Midway International Airport). From there many of the flight school instructors entered the Tuskegee Airmen Program. One notable instructor was John C. Robinson who entered W.W. II as Supreme Commander of The Ethiopian Air Force. The activities of these men and women have been recognized by the Smithsonian Institutes Air and Space Museum.

Notable natives

*Nichelle Nichols - Born Grace Nichols in Robbins, best known for playing Uhura in Star Trek.
*Dwyane Wade - NBA basketball player for the Miami HeatDwayne mentions his hometown in a commercial done for Converse
*Keke Palmer - Actress and Singer, known for the movie Akeelah and the Bee
*Michon Ellis- Managing Director- LimeGreen Productions, LLC [Former McDonald's Corporation Director of Global Communications]
*Joe Montgomery- Former professional American football running back for three seasons in the NFL for the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers
*Bessie Coleman, Cornelius Coffey, and John C. Robinson- Founders of the Robbins Airport, a center for black aviation in the North. The Robbins Airport was the first African American owned and operated airport in the US. They also greatly influenced the development of the Tuskegee Airman.
*Arrerk D. Stewart, MBA,MS,CIT- Professor, Lecturer, Researcher, Community Development Financer, LINKEDIN Networker and Edited this page.
*John C. Robinson - Held the rank of Colonel in His Imperial majesty Haile Sellassie in the Imperial Ethiopian Air Force. He was the Supreme Commander for Ethiopia during the early parts of WW II. Trained and fought against the Italian Invasion of the country.
*Michael A. Thomas, M.D. Gynecologist, noted fertility specialist, prolific researcher in the field of contraception. Physician, Professor, lecturer, author, and researcher at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio.
*SB Fuller Businessman and Robbins First Millionaire. He also supplied the seed capital for Johnson Publishing Company the owner of Ebony and Jet Magazines.

References

External links