Services were underway Monday for Syracuse civic leader Van Robinson, a civil rights champion who led the Syracuse Common Council and the effort to remove the divisive Interstate 81 viaduct. Robinson passed away May 3 at the age of 87 in Upstate University Hospital. 

A celebration of Robinson's life and contributions to the city drew a powerful outpouring of respect at Bethany Baptist Church from state leaders. Gov. Kathy Hochul, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, Attorney General Letitia James and local leaders delivered eulogies.

James called Robinson a legend, a visionary who made immeasurable contributions to Syracuse and embodied public service.

“His activism reflected a deep commitment to social and racial justice and the fight for equity," James said. "It became the defining feature of his long and well-spent life. And because Van engaged so robustly in the community he loved, he left a legacy of public service, civil rights, activism and community empowerment."

Schumer called into the service with a video statement, recalling his friendship with Robinson and his passionate advocacy for civil rights, justice and future generations.

"To know Van was to know leadership, the essence of leadership," Schumer said, adding, "Van represented the very best of Central New York and the best of America."

Schumer also lauded Robinson for his dedication to build a brighter future.

“He was a trailblazer, a history maker, a man who moved mountains in the pursuit of justice and the pursuit of equity,” Schumer said. “Van didn’t just speak about a better future, he built it every single day.”

The future he was building was one with no barriers. Robinson served on the Syracuse Common Council for nearly two decades, and as council president. He was a founder, president and executive board member of the Syracuse Onondaga County NAACP. A Navy veteran and a champion for justice, area officials say he leaves behind a legacy of leadership and compassion that continues to inspire the Syracuse community and beyond.

Onondaga County Comptroller Marty Masterpole recalled Robinson as a beloved community leader.

“Whether he was elected or not, Van was just a good leader, a good guy, a voice of reason, a gentleman," Masterpole said. "You know, they named the council chambers after him, the Pan African Village was named after him while he was still with us. I think that shows a lot about how much people appreciated Van.”

Calling hours for Robinson ended at noon Monday. A funeral service followed at Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

A native of Somerville, N.J., Robinson grew up in the Bronx and moved to Syracuse in 1968. He worked 42 years at Group Health Insurance (GHI), where he advocated for workers' rights as an executive and union steward.

Robinson began his public service acreer as a volunteer on local campaigns and an appointment to Syracuse's Board of Zoning Appeals. He was appointed to fill a vacant Syracuse Common Council seat in 1999 and never looked back, winning five citywide elections and serving two terms as the council's first African American president.

Robinson led the charge to support the I-81 community grid. and project now scheduled for completion by the end of 2028.

"He believed highway would come down and a more interconnected community could rise," Schumer said. "His influence is built into the very foundation of this transformation," Schumer said.

Speaking to applause at the service, Hochul pledged to leave a lasting reminder of Robinson in the city he cared so much about by working to rename Almond Street "Van Robinson Way."

"What is the Van Robinson Way?" Hochul said. "It is to question, it is to dream big, it is to never give up, be unrelenting and be successful. That is the Van Robinson way, and you’ll see that forever more."

Syracuse’s Mayor, Ben Walsh, looks forward to the renaming.  He says Robinson’s many efforts to unite a divided city do not end with him, and that his legacy will live on in the ongoing fight for equality and justice.

“I am certain that when that when that 81 viaduct starts coming down in a couple of years, he will be looking down with a mix of pride and longing for even greater progress for a more just and equitable city,” Walsh said, “And I know I will be looking up and saying ‘thank you, Van’ for showing us the way.”