W. Frank Robinson completed his undergraduate studies at the Johns Hopkins University and received his graduate degrees from the University of Florida and Auburn University with concentrations in African Area Studies and Latin American history. He specializes in the history of Latin America and the Caribbean, with a focus on twentieth century political and social movements, nation-state formation, race and ethnicity, and Caribbean diaspora communities.
Professor Robinson has lived and researched for extended periods in Europe, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. He is a contributing author to Populism in Latin America (University of Alabama Press, 2012) and is currently completing a manuscript that examines the dynamics of twentieth century Panamanian political history. Grants and fellowships from the IIE Fulbright Program, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Defense Education Act Title VI have helped fund his studies, research, and writing.
Robinson teaches a wide spectrum of courses that cover th
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Frank Robinson hit 586 home runs, made 14 All-Star teams and became the first and only player to capture MVP awards in both leagues during a 21-year run with the Cincinnati Reds, Baltimore Orioles and three other major-league clubs.
His contributions to the game in the dugout and the front office were an impressive complement to his on-field achievements. Nearly 50 years after his big-league debut as Birdie Tebbetts' starting left fielder in Cincinnati, Robinson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from George W. Bush during a 2005 ceremony at the White House. His honorary citation praised him for his “extraordinary achievements as a baseball player and manager and for setting a lasting example of character in athletics.''
The full extent of Robinson's impact came into clearer view on Feb. 7, 2019, when he died of bone cancer at age 83. The news elicited an outpouring of testimonials from former teammates, opponents, managers and others who felt his impact during his time in the game.