For the first time since its inception, Van Robinson is not watching over the Pan African Village at the New York State Fair. The Syracuse civil rights leader died earlier this year and has been memorialized at the site of a village that celebrates African and Caribbean culture.
32 years ago, a small tent was erected on a patch of dirt at the New York State Fair, meant to boost what was a lack of African American vendors and performers at the fair. Since then, the Pan African Village has grown in vibrancy, drawing visitors to enjoy food, music and crafts that reflect the state’s African American history.
The Syracuse chapter of the NAACP, which was led by Van Robinson, has worked with the fair to grow the village that is now named after him, with a plaque that commemorates his part in its growth. After the plaque was installed, Robinson’s wife, Linda Brown-Robinson, said that since he died, she’s learned more about his vision for the village.
“And now I'm finding things that Van penned that I didn't know,” Brown-Robinson said. “So it's coming to fruition. He's knowing, he's sat up on that podium, and he looked down."
Also watching out for Robinson’s legacy, Kevin Henry Sr., who operates Henry’s Henhouse, the only eatery left from those early days.
“It's a place for us to showcase our culture and our ethnic music, our foods,” said Henry. “It means a lot. It shows that African American people have a lot more to offer than some of the things they might see on the news. And we're proud of ourselves. And we just want to continue for this village to grow and get larger to a place that pretty much becomes a destination for people that they can't leave the fair without coming to.”
And more than just a destination, State Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball, whose department runs the fair, says it represents the state’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
“We have other villages around the fair to represent New York state, represent our diversity, represent our villages,” said Ball. “This is a testament to that.”
This year’s State Fair runs through Labor Day.
