Ruby Smith-Robinson (1942 - 1967)

Sat Apr 25, 1942

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Ruby Doris Smith-Robinson, born on this day in 1942, was a civil rights activist who worked with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) from its earliest days in 1960 until her early death in October 1967.

Smith-Robinson served the organization both as an on the ground organizer and as an administrator in the Atlanta central office. She eventually succeeded James Forman as SNCC’s executive secretary and was the only woman ever to serve in this capacity.

Robinson achieved renown for her willingness to fight rather than politely acquiesce to power. Fellow activist Julian Bond has stated that, when a delegation of SNCC staff was told that their African-bound plane was overbooked and told they needed to be delayed, she, without consulting the rest of the group, sat down in the jetway and refused to move. The delegation were given seats on that flight.

In January 1967, Ruby’s health began to decline precipitously around the same time as the splintering of SNCC, and she was admitted to a hospital. She suffered for ten months from a rare blood disease and in April of that year she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She died on October 7th, 1967, aged 25.