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Paul Robeson April 19, 1898- January 23, 1976. Tiffany Avant. New Jersey. Paul Leroy Robeson was born on April 19, 1898 in Princeton, New jersey. He lost his mother, Marie Louise Bustill, when he was just six years old. His Father, William Robeson, was born a slave, and ran away.
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Paul RobesonApril 19, 1898- January 23, 1976 Tiffany Avant
New Jersey • Paul Leroy Robeson was born on April 19, 1898 in Princeton, New jersey. • He lost his mother, Marie Louise Bustill, when he was just six years old. • His Father, William Robeson, was born a slave, and ran away. • Paul was the fifth child, His older brothers and sister helped take care of him.
Paul excelled at sports and music at Somerville high school He was accepted to Rutgers College in New Jersey. He was the only black student that went there. He tried out for the Rutgers football team but many white players did not want a black playing on the team. He was finished Rutgers with the highest grades in his class, The class of 1919 The beginning
Starting a new life • In August 1921, Paul met Eslanda Goode (Essie), they moved to rye New York where they were married. • Paul finished law school in 1923, but it was hard for blacks to be accepted as lawyers • He then started taking up multiple acting jobs • He joined up with pianist Lawrence Brown, They made their first performance together on Sunday April 19, 1925, at the Greenwich Village Theater in New York.
Acting as a right • While on a singing tour in London, Paul’s son, Paul J.R, was born • Paul stared in the opening of the show boat in London in April 1928. • He was given the part of Othello in the William Shakespeare play but the women who was to play his wife was white. This was not acceptable for his time period.
In the 1930’s African Americans still didn’t have equal rights in acting or anywhere Many roles were made to make African Americans look stupid. In 1939 the Robesons moved back to the U.S. at the beginning of WWII Paul was accused of being a communist and being connected with the soviet union because he had been to the soviet union tours. He said “I am treated like a human being in the Soviet Union, I am not in the United States.”1 The Government clearly opposed this statement Speaking out for rights
The HUAC • (The House Un-American Activities Committee) • When appearing before the HUAC, The committee asked him why he didn’t relocate to Russia. He replied: “Because my father was a slave, and my people died to build this country, and I am going to stay right here and have a part of it just like you.”2
Stalin peace prize • In 1952, Robeson was awarded the Stalin Peace Prize. In April, 1953 shortly after Joseph Stalin's death he wrote a eulogy entitled “To You Beloved Comrade” in which he praised Stalin's "deep humanity," "wise understanding," and dedication to peaceful co-existence with all the peoples of the world calling him “wise and good”.
No way out • The U.S. State department revoked Robeson’s passport in 1950 • He was forced to stay in the U.S. where he was Blacklisted from all movies and plays • He completed his Autobiography in 1958, but no one would review it. • His passport was reinstated in 1958, He then traveled to Britain and Russia, where he was still popular
After His wife Essie passed away in 1965 he stopped singing and acting, but he never stopped speaking out for equal rights. He attempted suicide twice, he also suffered a number of breakdowns and became dependent on psychotropic drugs. Robeson was admitted to Presbyterian University Hospital on December 28, 1975 following a massive stroke. He died on January 23, 1976 The final stages
1-Mckissak, Patricia and Frederick. Paul Robeson: A voice to remember. Enslow publishers Inc, 2001 2- Macrovision Corporation. Paul Robeson. 2008. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:kifrxqw51dhe~t1 3-Kallen, Stuart A. The 1950s: America’s decades. San Diego, California: David L. Bender,2000 Sources
