Jack was born in Meridian MS in 1928 and was known as a quiet, artistic young man. He attended Tulane University and fell in love with the wild, bohemian culture he found in New Orleans. Hanging out with the likes of Tennessee Williams and Truman Capote solidified his desire to be a photographer. Through documenting the every day life as well as the extravagance of gay Mardi Gras, Jack honed his photography skills and style. After some encouragement, he made the jump to NYC and shot for magazines like Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Life under the mentorship of Carrie Donovan. He crossed paths with everyone from Andy Warhol to Clint Eastwood, and his extensive archive speaks for itself!⁣

He came back to the south in 1972 after a period of struggling with alcoholism and settled in Memphis, TN. He went on to become an award winning stained glass artist, and kept the crazy story of his photographer days under wraps. ⁣

When he passed in 1997, Dan Oppenheimer (owner of Rainbow Studio and later the Robinson Archive) discovered the boxes upon boxes of negatives Jack had kept. Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Jack Nicholson, Cher, the list goes on! He created the Jack Robinson Gallery to preserve Jack's memory and showcase his amazing work.