Robert H. Robinson
American Methodist minister (1824-1909)
Rev. Robert Henry Robinson (1824–1909), was an American minister, educator, and an activist for the rights of African Americans during the Antebellum period in Arlington, Virginia. He was born into slavery, but through the negotiation by his grandmother, Caroline Branham, he was freed at age 21 after an eleven-year apprenticeship. He was a minister at Roberts Chapel, a Methodist Episcopal Church. He established a night school and debate team for black freedman. The Robert H. Robinson Library was named in his honor.
Early life
Robinson was born into slavery. He was the son of Lucy Branham, and grandson of Caroline Branham. His slaveholder was George Washington Parke Custis, Martha Washington's grandson. In the 1820s, Caroline agreed to participate in lengthy interviews with historian Jared Sparks under the condition that Robinson was freed.
The public source identifies “Robert H. Robinson” as american Methodist minister (1824-1909). This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Robert, Robinson and American.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Robert H. Robinson”, the useful work is to connect “american Methodist minister (1824-1909)” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 22, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q104680500. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1824 and 1909.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Robert H. Robinson”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Robert H. Robinson primary sources, Robert H. Robinson archive and Robert research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Robert H. Robinson”?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Robert H. Robinson” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.