He was exceptionally famous for his political views on antiimperialism, communism, and. Robeson was awarded a fouryear scholarship to rutgers, becoming that. Paul robeson was an american singer, actor, civil rights activist, and college football player. Paul robeson excelled as an athlete, actor, singer, and activist, qualifying him as a contemporary renaissance man. His mother, of mixed african, cherokee, and caucasian ancestry, was a teacher. Early notables of the robeson family pre 1700 another 33 words 2 lines of text are included under the topic early robeson notables in all our pdf extended history products and printed products wherever possible. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. Robeson was born in brooklyn to entertainer and activist paul robeson and eslanda goode robeson.
Paul leroy robeson was born on april 9, 1898, in princeton, new jersey, to anna louisa and william drew robeson, an escaped slave. Paul robeson biography afrocentric voices in classical. Paul robeson was born in 1898, and as the son of a pastor, he learned to love written and spoken words at an early age. Martin dubermans classic biography, reissued by the new press, offers a monumental and powerfully affecting portrait of one of this centurys most notable performers, political radicals. In this book he details the tumultuous journey that he was forced to undergo to play college football. Some of the robeson family moved to ireland, but this topic is not covered in this. Paul leroy robeson was born the last of eight children in the robeson family, on april 9, 1898, in princeton, new jersey. His wife, essie, who had published a book on her husband in 1930 titled paul robeson, negro, sued for divorce in 1932. His father, william, was of igbo origin and was born into slavery, william escaped from a plantation in his teens and eventually became the minister of princetons witherspoon street presbyterian. In 1915 he enrolled at rutgers college, new jersey, and in 1920 he entered columbia university law school. His father, william drew robeson, was a runaway slave who fought for the north in the civil war 186165, when northern forces clashed with those of the south over secession, or the souths desire to leave the union. Paul robeson biography childhood, life achievements. I really appreciate the thoughtfulness of language in this book.
Paul leroy robeson was born the youngest of seven children on april 9, 1898, in princeton, new jersey. Paul robeson centennial celebration resources about paul robeson 18981976 books at the beginning, our prime interest is books in print or recently out of print and we will list soon to be published books and hope you will keep your eyesears open. On this weeks podcast, we talk to ishmael reed about his reissued classic novel mumbo jumbo and. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. Paul robeson 1 singer, actor, activist racist incident soured law career 2 found a moral cause in song 3 went to the soviet union 4 would not denounce communism 5 pariah status 6 selected writings 7 selected discography 8 sources 9 paul robeson 10singer, actor, civil rights 1. Highly idealistic, passionately exhorting, deeply committed to the common people, this paul robeson gem remains a vital challenge to the racism that still dogs american society. Robeson, at 75, is feted in absentia the new york times. Paul leroy robeson was born in 1898 in princeton, new jersey, to william drew robeson and maria louisa bustill. After becoming one of the most famous and beloved performers in the world, and then an outspoken advocate for human rights, he was tragically crushed by political forces, a victim of the cold war.
While robesons considerable achievements are highlighted, this is no hagiography robesons shortcomings particularly his many affairs, and naivete towards stalin are also on display. If you are a parent of a child playing sports, here i stand by paul robeson is a mandatory read. Robesons mother was a teacher and died when he was five. Here i stand by paul robeson, beacon press 1971 paul robeson. On this date in 1898, paul leroy robeson, was born in princeton, n. November 2, 1927 april 26, 2014 was an american author, archivist and historian. Robeson entered rutgers university on a scholarship in 1915 earned with. Paul robeson american singer, actor, and political.
Original research is provided from primary materials housed at the schomburg center for black culture in harlem and the fbi archives in washington, d. January 23, 1976 philadelphia, usa paul bustill robeson was a famous africanamerican athlete, singer, actor, and advocate for the civil rights of people around the world. Historian martin dubermans biography of paul robeson is an outstanding example of narrative scholarship. Passionate and enormously talented, paul robeson lived one of the great lives of the twentieth century. This biography offers detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements and timeline. Looking for books by paul robeson jr see all books authored by paul robeson jr. Paul robeson was one of the most talented and outstanding africanamerican. His mother, maria, was from a prominent q uaker f amily of mixed ancestry. Two appendices cover robesons film work as offscreen narrator and singer and his many stage appearances. The son of a former slave turned preacher, robeson attended rutgers university in new brunswick, n.
Paul robesons life was interesting for sure, never a dull moment, so any biography on him is going to be good. Genealogy profile for paul robeson genealogy for paul leroy robeson 1898 1976 family tree on geni, with over 200 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. Martin dubermans paul robeson is a staggering accomplishment, an exhaustively researched biography that engrosses the reader for 750 pages. Paul robeson biography life, family, childhood, children. There arent any picturebook biographies of paul robeson, but my mom found me this illustrated kids book biography written by a black person, even. This is a biography of one of the most significant black figures in american historya brilliant scholar and athlete, he became world famous as a singer and actor. Paul robeson was a famous africanamerican singer, actor, and civil rights activist. General, professional, passport case and organizations, the collection consists mainly of correspondence, manuscripts and printed matter, and represents for the most part office files of the united freedom fund, established in 1952. Paul robeson by martin duberman goodreads share book. Paul robeson was a famous african american athlete, singer, actor and advocate for the civil rights of people around the world. Robeson spent his actual birthday on april 9 with family and friends at his home in philadelphia, where he has lived with his sister in seclusion since soon after his wifes death in 1965. Brown helped robeson write here i stand, and he crafted the tone, which is at once accessible and impassioned, originally aimed at the black religious community.
Upon graduating from rutgers at the head of his class, he rejected a career as a. Lessons from paul robesons father rutgers university. At the same time, robeson was an academic superstar who managed to excel on and off the field. But this towering figure left behind a legacy that is ambigu. The paul robeson irc houses a vast collection of books and journals on u. He grew up in princeton, new jersey, where he gained fame as one of the greatest football players ever. A biography and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. Gollancz 1930 paul robeson goes to washington by eslanda goode robeson, national paul robeson committee 1956 the undiscovered paul robeson, an artists journey by paul robeson, jr. History, political science, african american history, literature, general business and other social science and humanities fields. Robeson s mother died from a fire when he was 6 and his clergyman father moved the family to somerville, where the youngster excelled in academics and sang in church. Pauls mother, anna louisa robeson, was a member of the distinguished bustill family of philadelphia, which included patriots in the revolutionary war 177583, when the american colonies fought for independence from great britain. More than a question of the politics of race and gender, the debate is about whether meltingpot culture, the foundation of american life, should be replaced by a mosaic culture incorporating the values of the diverse groups that make up. Find paul robeson movies, filmography, bio, co stars, photos, news and tweets. Passionate, enormously talented, and, at times, seemingly larger than life, paul robeson lived one of the great lives of the twentieth century.
What paul robeson said history smithsonian magazine. Check back with rutgers today throughout the year as we present a special series chronicling robesons life. Paul robeson was born april 9, 1898 in princeton, new jersey, the youngest son of the rev. Paul lero y robes on was born in princeton, new jersey, in 1898, to reverend william d rew robe son and maria louisa bustill. The lengthy book covers every aspect of the great entertaineractivists life and is the type of biography that an interested reader finds difficult to put down. Add to that martin dubermans great writing, and youve got a book that is a total package of interesting and entertaining. Paul leroy robeson was born in 1898, the son of a runaway slave, william drew robeson. The story of how an american icon was driven to death to be told in film. Within the love of his family he also learned to be proud of being black and to stand up for others and what he believed was right. Genealogy for paul leroy robeson 1898 1976 family tree on geni, with over 200 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. His mothers family was quaker and his father, who escape slavery as a teen, was a presbyterian minister.
I was kind of worried that the length of this book was going to get to me, but oh man, this book is so good. How paul robeson found his political voice in the welsh. Paul robeson, celebrated american singer, actor, and black activist. Rutgers is honoring paul robesons legacy as a scholar, athlete, actor, singer and global activist in a yearlong celebration to mark the 100th anniversary of his graduation. The books are not yet listed in any particular order within the general sections.
As his family moved to europe, he grew up in england visiting the st marys town and country school in london and moscow, in the soviet. His early accomplishments as a professional football player, columbia law school graduate, and an actor on broadway in the 1920s seemed but a. He was an outstanding american football player at rutgers university. Although hes been dead for nearly a quarter century, paul robeson still looms large as an american cultural and political symbol. He rose to prominence in a time when segregation was legal in america and black people were being lynched by white mobs. The immediate family sat to gether and included in addition to mr. On april 9, 1898, an eighth child was born to maria luisa bustill, the quaker abolitionist, and william drew, the former slave who had escaped to the north, gone to college, and become a minister.
94 621 859 176 172 448 20 418 155 265 1369 1007 675 1327 193 146 853 207 1412 873 480 1202 1005 470 409 1485 262 395 855 1161 1221