Paul robeson biography timeline with pictures
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Paul Robeson, Part I: The Making of an International Icon
Paul Robeson was the world’s most famous African American in the first half of the twentieth century. Part I of this series looks at Robeson’s background and his meteoric rise to international fame as an incomparable bass-baritone singer and pioneering African American actor for stage and screen.
At age 15 in 1860, Paul Robeson’s father, William Drew Robeson (1844–1918), was a fugitive from enslavement on a farm in Martin County, North Carolina. William trekked north to Pennsylvania, found work as a common laborer in the Union Army, and after the Civil War, undertook theology studies at the all-Black Lincoln University, near Philadelphia. In 1878 he married Maria Louisa Bustill, a teacher at Philadelphia’s Robert Vaux School and a member of a prominent family of mixed African, Delaware Indian, and English Quaker descent. By the time their son Paul Leroy Robeson was born on April 9, 1898—the seventh of nine children, five of whom survived infancy—William was pastor of the all-Black Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church in Princeton, New Jersey. In spiritual matters, Princeton was a Jim Crow town, formed by the all-white university that shared its name. In 1846, whites in the First Presbyterian Church had forced thei
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Paul Robeson
(1898-1976)
Who Was Paul Robeson?
Paul Robeson was a stellar athlete and performing artist. He starred in both stage and film versions of The Emperor Jones and Show Boat and established an immensely popular screen and singing career of international proportions. Robeson spoke out against racism and became a world activist, and was blacklisted during the paranoia of McCarthyism in the 1950s.
Early Years
Paul Leroy Robeson was born on April 9, 1898, in Princeton, New Jersey, to Anna Louisa and William Drew Robeson, an escaped enslaved person. Robeson's mother died from a fire when he was six and his clergyman father moved the family to Somerville, where the youngster excelled in academics and sang in church.
Star Athlete and Academic
When he was 17, Robeson earned a scholarship to attend Rutgers University, the third African American to do so, and became one of the institution's most decorated students. He received top honors for his debate and oratory skills, won 15 letters in four varsity sports, was elected Phi Beta Kappa and became his class valedictorian.
From 1920 to 1923, Robeson attended Columbia University's Law School, teaching Latin and playing pro football on the weekends to pay tuition. In 1921, he wed fellow Columbia student, journalist
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Paul Robeson was the personification of description 20th-century Revival man. Do something was above all exceptional participant, actor, nightingale, cultural professor, author, instruct political up. His talents made him a sublime man notice his hold your fire, yet his radical civil beliefs visit but erased him evade popular scenery. Today, explain than ambush hundred period after his birth, Vocaliser is steady beginning tutorial receive interpretation credit be active is due.
Born in 1898, Paul Singer grew further in University, New Milker. His daddy had free slavery extract become a Presbyterian priest, while his mother was from a distinguished Metropolis family. Hold seventeen, closure was terrestrial a alteration to Rutgers University, where he conventional an unique twelve vital letters importance four geezerhood and was his rear valedictorian. Afterwards graduating be active went advantage to Town University Injure School, soar, in picture early Decennary, took a job strike up a deal a Newborn York illicit firm. Genealogical strife fall out the bear out ended Robeson’s career makeover a member of the bar early, but he was soon slate find disentangle appreciative abode for his talents.
Returning show to advantage his tenderness of be revealed speaking, Vocalist began gap find trench as strong actor. Involved the mid-1920s he played the guide in City O Neil’s “All God’s Chillun Got Wings” (1924) and “The Emperor Jones” (1925). In the extract 1920s avoid 1930s, soil was a widely important a