Police say longtime Flint civil rights activist and attorney C. Frederick Robinson has been fatally shot. The Flint Journal reports Robinson was killed late last night in Flint at his home. There are no suspects in the case.
Robinson was dedicated to equal rights. In addition to organizing rallies and generating support for the civil rights movement, Robinson was instrumental in the 1968 passage of the fair housing ordinance. Its approval made Flint among the first cities to pass an open-housing referendum by popular vote.
In a press release Mayor Dayne Walling says the cause of Robinson's death is “troubling” and is a huge loss to the community:
“Attorney Robinson was an iconic figure in our community. For more than 50 years he was on the front lines fighting for justice and equality for all. This community continues to benefit from his efforts, most notably his involvement with the passage of the 1968 Fair Housing Ordinance. The approval of this ordinance, by voters, propelled Flint into the national spotlight for its advancements in civil rights by becoming the first city in the nation to outlaw discrimination in housing. C. Frederick Robinson made this community a better place; his tragic death is a tremendous loss to the Flint community."
