Robbins, Illinois
—  Village  —
Robbins
Coordinates: 41°38′35″N 87°42′29″W / 41.64306°N 87.70806°W / 41.64306; -87.70806Coordinates: 41°38′35″N 87°42′29″W / 41.64306°N 87.70806°W / 41.64306; -87.70806
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Cook
Townships	Bremen, Worth
Incorporated	1917
Government
• Mayor	Irene H. Brodie
Area
• Total	1.45 sq mi (3.8 km2)
• Land	1.45 sq mi (3.8 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.0 km2)  0%
Population (2010)
• Total	5,337
• Density	3,680.7/sq mi (1,421.1/km2)
	Down 19.56% from 2000
Standard of living (2007-11)
• Per capita income	$13,089
• Median home value	$77,600
ZIP code(s)	60472
Area code(s)	708
Geocode	64616
Website	www.robbins-il.com

Robbins is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5,337 at the 2010 census,^[1] down from 6,635 at the 2000 census. Irene H. Brodie is the current mayor.

History of Robbins [edit]

This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2012)

Robbins was incorporated in 1917. The village's first mayor was Thomas J. Kellar. The citizens of the unincorporated area of Cook County known as Robbins sought to protect their property from the citizens of surrounding towns and also to provide the necessary public services required by a growing settlement. Thoma J. Kellar, having worked at the Markham court house, was tasked with investigating the procedures of incorporation.

Geography [edit]

According to the 2010 census, the village has a total area of 1.45 square miles (3.8 km²), all land.^[2]

Demographics [edit]

As of the 2000 census,^[3] there were 6,635 people, 1,985 households, and 1,490 families residing in the village. The population density was 4,516.0 people per square mile (1,742.7/km²). There were 2,138 housing units at an average density of 1,455.2 per square mile (561.6/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 1.82% White, 96.25% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.93% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.94% of the population.^[4]

There were 1,985 households out of which 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.1% were married couples living together, 40.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 22.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.13 and the average family size was 3.63.

In the village the population was spread out with 32.3% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $24,145, and the median income for a family was $27,602. Males had a median income of $31,667 versus $22,574 for females. The per capita income for the village was $9,837. About 30.2% of families and 35.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 44.3% of those under age 18 and 22.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government [edit]

Robbins is in Illinois' 1st congressional district.

Transportation [edit]

Robbins is served by a station on Metra's Rock Island District commuter rail line. Robbins is served by many Pace bus routes with important termini such as Midway International Airport, UPS's Hodgkins Center, CTA's 95th Street Red Line Station, and Moraine Valley Community College.

Interstate 294 runs through Robbins, but it has no exits within the village limits. Access to Interstates 57 and 294 are within a five-to-eight minute drive.

Midway International Airport is within a 15-20 minute drive. The village is home to MDW's southern approach radar tower. O'Hare International Airport is within a 30-45 minute drive via Interstate 294 using the IL-50/ 83 Cicero Exit.

Robbins Airport, the first to be owned and operated by African Americans in the United States, was located here from 1930 to 1933. It had the only flight school at the time where African Americans could be trained as pilots. It served as a model for the Tuskegee Airmen Program during World War II. Many great African-American pilots flew into this forgotten airport. The surrounding White communities, such as Blue Island and Midlothian, did not approve of this activity, and their police sometimes arrested black pilots after they had landed in Robbins. The one-runway airport and hangar were destroyed by a tornado in 1933. School and operations were relocated by the invitation of white owners of the Harlem Airport in Chicago (it was located south of present-day Midway International Airport). From there many of the flight school instructors entered the Tuskegee Airmen Program. One notable instructor was John C. Robinson, who entered World War II as Supreme Commander of the Ethiopian Air Force. Italy invaded Ethiopia in 1935.^[5] The activities of these men and women have been recognized by the Smithsonian Institution's Air and Space Museum.^[6]

Education [edit]

Posen-Robbins School District 143½ serves Robbins.^[7]

Notable people [edit]

• Jan Bradley, soul singer ("Mama Didn't Lie"); grew up in Robbins
• Bessie Coleman, co-founder of the Robbins Airport, an operations center for black aviation^{[citation needed]}
• S. B. Fuller, businessman (founded Fuller Products Company) and publisher (New York Age and Pittsburgh Courier)^{[citation needed]}
• James Loving, wide receiver for Philadelphia Eagles^{[citation needed]}
• Joe Montgomery, running back with the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers; born in Robbins
• Nichelle Nichols, actress, known for playing Uhura in Star Trek; born Grace Nichols in Robbins
• Dwyane Wade, shooting guard and point guard with the Miami Heat; grew up in Robbins
• Shawn Wiggins, wide receiver for Cleveland Browns^{[citation needed]}

References [edit]

External links [edit]

• Village of Robbins official website

	Chicago portal
	Illinois portal

v t e Municipalities and communities of Cook County, Illinois, United States County seat: Chicago Cities Berwyn Blue Island Burbank Calumet City Chicago‡ Chicago Heights Country Club Hills Countryside Des Plaines Elgin‡ Elmhurst‡ Evanston Harvey Hickory Hills Hometown Markham Northlake Oak Forest Palos Heights Palos Hills Park Ridge Prospect Heights Rolling Meadows Town Cicero Villages Alsip Arlington Heights‡ Barrington‡ Barrington Hills‡ Bartlett‡ Bedford Park Bellwood Bensenville‡ Berkeley Bridgeview Broadview Brookfield Buffalo Grove‡ Burnham Burr Ridge‡ Calumet Park Chicago Ridge Crestwood Deer Park‡ Deerfield‡ Dixmoor Dolton East Dundee‡ East Hazel Crest Elk Grove Village‡ Elmwood Park Evergreen Park Flossmoor Ford Heights Forest Park Forest View Frankfort‡ Franklin Park Glencoe Glenview Glenwood Golf Hanover Park‡ Harwood Heights Hazel Crest Hillside Hinsdale‡ Hodgkins Hoffman Estates‡ Homewood Indian Head Park Inverness Justice Kenilworth La Grange La Grange Park Lansing Lemont‡ Lincolnwood Lynwood Lyons Matteson‡ Maywood McCook Melrose Park Merrionette Park Midlothian Morton Grove Mount Prospect Niles Norridge North Riverside Northbrook Northfield Oak Brook‡ Oak Lawn Oak Park Olympia Fields Orland Hills Orland Park‡ Palatine Palos Park Park Forest‡ Phoenix Posen Richton Park River Forest River Grove Riverdale Riverside Robbins Roselle‡ Rosemont Sauk Village‡ Schaumburg‡ Schiller Park Skokie South Barrington South Chicago Heights South Holland Steger‡ Stickney Stone Park Streamwood Summit Thornton Tinley Park‡ University Park‡ Westchester Western Springs Wheeling‡ Willow Springs‡ Wilmette Winnetka Woodridge‡ Worth Townships Barrington Berwyn Bloom Bremen Calumet Cicero Elk Grove Evanston Hanover Lemont Leyden Lyons Maine New Trier Niles Northfield Norwood Park Oak Park Orland Palatine Palos Proviso Rich River Forest Riverside Schaumburg Stickney Thornton Wheeling Worth Unincorporated communities Hines La Grange Highlands Sutton Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties