Former St. Augustine’s president dies at 105. He led the HBCU for decades.

Prezell Robinson, the former president of St. Augustine’s University, died on Monday at 105.

From the time he arrived at St. Augustine’s as an undergraduate student in the 1940s to the end of his presidential tenure in 1995, Robinson was a transformative force at one of the oldest historically Black colleges in the South.

Robinson, who led the school as its eighth president for nearly 30 years, was known for his budget-balancing prowess and his steadfast leadership at a time of enormous change. He expanded academic programs, strengthened accreditation, and modernized buildings.

He assumed the role of president in 1967, at a time of racial turmoil in the United States. He addressed students in the wake of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. He brought the Rev. Jesse Jackson to campus as a keynote speaker.

By the time of his retirement, Robinson told students: “Even though the St. Augustine’s of 1994 has come a long way from the St. Augustine’s of 1967, we still have a long way to go. As we approach the 21st century, there’s not going to be room for incompetent people or room for untrained people.”

In February, the president emeritus was honored at a Black History Month celebration in Raleigh, The News & Observer previously reported. Though Robinson was too frail to attend, community members gathered to celebrate his legacy at Tarboro Road Community Center.

A wake for Robinson will take place at St. Augustine’s from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, July 10, according to Haywood Funeral Home. Ambrose Episcopal Church will host a funeral service at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 11, followed by a burial at Montlawn Memorial Park.

Josh Shaffer contributed to this report.

Jane Winik Sartwell

The News & Observer

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Jane Winik Sartwell covers higher education for The News & Observer.