In the early 1970’s, the Brotherhood began lobbying the LA City Council and with the help of the Harbor Commission and L.A. The Brotherhood was open to anyone, with the only requirement being the pledge to race under safety supervision, abstain from alcohol, drugs, fighting, and squirreling (acting stupid and showing off with your car). “Black, white, yellow, brown, skinheads, Nazi party members, Muslims, we got ‘em all,” Robinson once said. The first night more than 10,000 people showed up for the quasi-legal street races, and that number was doubled on the second night. Frank Beeson and other members of the LAPD began assisting the Brotherhood in blocking off a mile of downtown streets for all night drag racing. Interestingly, Police noted that there was less crime being carried out when Robinson’s races were being conducted, and thus, in 1968, Capt. The Brotherhood, founded in 1966 upon Robinson’s return from the war, conducted races on blocked off streets in East L.A. One year after the riots, Robinson began organizing street racing events, and right away, people of every color and of every age began showing up. The infamous Watts Riots in 1965 that devastated Los Angeles heightened racial tensions, but the big man chose the peaceful route in dealing with the situation, instead using street racing to end gang violence and racial unrest and unite people that might otherwise be embittered to one another. Robinson spent two years serving as an Army Special Forces Green Beret in the Vietnam War before returning to L.A. Racial incidents, some of which involved vandalism of his prized car, sent him packing across the country to the bustling city of Los Angeles. Robinson grew up in the segregated New Orleans area, and despite his large, athletic figure, was unable to fulfill his dream of playing football for LSU due to his color. During a race, Robinson was once quoted as stating, “Ain’t no colors here, it’s all just engines.” No doubt the legends of our sport are leaving us far too often these days.īig Willie Robinson, the iconic southern California racer and race promoter who united people of all color and creeds in the name of drag racing, died on Saturday at 70 years of age following a lengthy, undisclosed illness.Īn imposing figure if there ever was one at 6-foot-6 and 300 pounds with massive 21-inch biceps and a 58-inch chest, William “Big Willie” Andrew Robinson III was the founder and president of the National and International Brotherhood of Street Racers, and it was racing that he utilized to bring people of all walks together.
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