Born into a family of former slaves, Lithangia Robinson proudly called herself a yellow dog Democrat. She was a tireless advocate for justice, never hesitating to lobby politicians to do the right thing.

"She would stand on issues by herself," said her daughter, Angie Murray of Atlanta. "She made a difference all right."

Ben Gray/AJC (ENLARGE)

Lithangia Robinson, shown at the 2000 Democratic National Convention, in Los Angeles, was an advocate for the elderly.

Mrs. Robinson was a leader in the state Democratic Party and attended three national conventions.

"She enjoyed politics," her daughter said. "She said her grandfather had encouraged her as a child in politics. He said it was a way to better ourselves, through politics. Her grandfather was born a slave, and my mother knew her great-grandfather who was a slave."

A retired teacher in Cobb and DeKalb counties, she was the first African-American woman to be elected president of the Georgia Association of Educators. She had been a member of the Georgia Council on Aging since 1994. She was appointed to advise Clark College and Atlanta University on their consolidation, Grady Health Services and state agencies on the concerns of the aging population, and planners on elements to include in the Harriett G. Darnell Senior Multipurpose Facility.

"She worked for justice, and she resisted evil," said council member Ann Williams of Atlanta.

"She was the first to challenge legislators to do what was right for the people," Ms. Williams said. "She could change opinions and get them to understand what it was like for other people. She understood the complexities of politics."

The funeral for Lithangia Shannell Robinson, 89, of Atlanta is 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Paul of the Cross Catholic Church. She died of stomach cancer Wednesday at Hospice Atlanta. Murray Bros. Cascade Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Robinson, who taught math, earned her master's degree in counseling at Clark Atlanta University.

"She never counseled a day in her life," her daughter said. "She said they had to work in the summer, and she didn't want to work in the summer."

Rather, Mrs. Robinson spent her free time fighting to improve teacher benefits and lobbying for issues that benefit the aging.

"She said she didn't have time to play cards and things like that. She said there were a lot of things that needed to be changed and a lot of people who needed to be helped," Ms. Murray said.

No opportunity to aid those in need escaped her notice. The woman who helped elect presidents would dip into her own pocket to buy lunches for a year for a poor student, her daughter said.

As she approached most of life, Mrs. Robinson took her politics seriously but wasn't above having fun. Often interviewed at Democratic conventions, she bragged when she made it into USA Today in 1988 and was intrigued that an Australian film crew couldn't understand that she was black but did not support Jesse Jackson for president. At the 1996 convention, she, like other delegates, danced the then-popular Macarena between speeches.

Mrs. Robinson was appointed to countless advisory committees and boards and was continually recognized for her service. She made sure that decision makers took the concerns of older residents seriously.

"Whatever she was involved in, she had a passion about it," said her friend Geraldine Murdock of Atlanta.

Other survivors include a stepdaughter, Bonita Stewart of Marietta; and two grandchildren.