Paul Robeson

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Paul Robeson 1898-1976
Do you know why Bugs Bunny got his picture on a
stamp and he didn't?
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Ol' Man River Lyrics rewritten by Paul Robeson
There's an old man called the Mississippi,That's
the old man that I wants to be (I keeps
laughin instead of cryin'I must keep fightin'
until I'm dyin)Original Lyrics Niggers all
work on the Mississippi,Niggers all work while
the white folks play. (I gits weary and sick of
tryin'I'm tired of livin' and scared of dyin)
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Ol' Man River is the song most closely
associated with Paul Robeson it was dedicated to
him by composer Jerome Kern and lyricist Oscar
Hammerstein II and was a major element in the
musical Showboat (1930). The original 1927
lyrics reflected the racism in the culture of the
time and were re-written by Robeson to eliminate
the racist words and establish a message of
determined defiance. -www.rutgers.edu/robeson/old
man
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He don't plant taters, and he don't plant
cotton And them that plants em, is soon
forgotten But Ol' Man River, he just keeps
rollin' along
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You and me, we sweat and strain Body all achin'
and racked with pain Tote that barge and lift
that bail You get a little drunk and you lands in
jail
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• (You can wreck my name,
• vilify me,
• stretch me on the rack But I won't bow down to
  any man, be he white or be he black
• Take away my passport,
• refuse to let me travel But I will not get
  down on my knees-youre never gonna make me
  grovel)

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• (You can call me a traitor,
• but I love my country And I will not sell it out
  
• because of your hypocrisy I refuse to hide
  behind the Fifth
• I've no fear of honesty)

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• You always know exactly where I am,
• so why don't you just
• Come on over here
• and get me

-Larry Kirwan, Black 47 Paul Robeson(Born to be
Free)
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Paul Robeson (a student/teacher collaboration
byJared Hunt/Mr. Rozell)
Words and Music by Larry Kirwan and Black 47
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"The artist must elect to fight for Freedom or
for Slavery. I have made my choice. I had no
alternative." Paul Robeson
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Early Life

• Paul Robeson was born on April 9th, 1898.
• As a youth he showed great talent in athletics,
  academics, music and speaking.
• At 17 he won a statewide contest, winning himself
  a free four year scholarship to Rutgers
  University.

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University Life

• Only the third black man accepted to Rutgers,
  Robeson was a star athlete, winning 15 varsity
  letters in Football, Baseball, Basketball and
  Track though he was benched on occasion when
  opposing teams refused to take the field against
  a black man.
• He also was Rutgers'star scholar, orator and
  singer.

Robeson on the Gridiron
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• Robeson was Rutgers valedictorian, Class of
  1919.
• His speech urged people to strive for a world
  where, "black and white shall clasp friendly
  hands in the consciousness of the fact that we
  are brethren and that God is the Father of us
  all."

Robeson College Portrait
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• Robeson continued school at Columbia, earning a
  law degree.
• His law career was short. A white secretary
  refused to take dictation and he immediately quit.

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The Star

• After Law, Robeson was encouraged to pursue a
  theatrical career.
• He performed in notable works like Emperor
  Jones, Othello and Showboat.
• Ol Man River became his trademark song.
• By 1930 Robeson was a certified Star.

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Political Views

• After being invited to the USSR, Robeson was
  enamored by the racial and ethnic equality found
  there.
• Robeson seriously contemplated living in the USSR
  and even sent his son the Soviet schools.
• Robeson believed that the Soviet society was the
  pinnacle of Man's achievement

Soviet Symbols
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• Robeson Supported Self Determination for Colonies
  and despised Imperialism and Fascism
• Robeson also supported the Civil Rights movement,
  the labor movement and other progressive
  movements in the United States.

• Leading shipyard workers in singing The
  Star-Spangled Banner, September 1942

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World War II

• Robeson gave benefit concerts and asked the
  government to aid China and the USSR.
• Robeson Toured with the USO when it became
  integrated in 1945.

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1943
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• He received the Abraham Lincoln Medal for notable
  and distinguished service in human relations the
  FBI, however, labeled him a leading Communist and
  issued a custodial detention card that would
  allow his immediate arrest in a national
  emergency.
• -www.rutgers.edu/robeson

• Robeson used his winning of the NAACPs Springam
  Medal in 1945 as a platform to speak out against
  the post-war developments he disagreed with.
• The FBI fully noted this occasion.

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"I stand here struggling for the rights of my
people to be full citizens in this country and
they are not! Paul Robeson
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Backlash

• After being placed on a list as a suspected
  communist, many cities moved to ban Robeson.
• The Albany, NY Board of Education was among
  those that refused to let him sing the NYS
  Supreme Court ruled he could, if he stuck to the
  musical program only.

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"Whether I am or am not a Communist is
irrelevant. The question is whether American
citizens, regardless of their political beliefs
or sympathies, may enjoy their constitutional
rights." Paul
Robeson
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• Robeson spent time picketing outside the White
  House and testifying before a Senate committee
  protesting a bill that would force communists to
  register with the government.
• Robeson was misquoted as saying Blacks should not
  serve in an army that does not guarantee them
  civil rights.

Robeson
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• Black leaders condemned Robeson before the House
  Un-American Activities Committee due to his
  comment.
• A Riot occurred at a Robeson concert in Peekskill
  NY. Rioters torched chairs, smashed the stage and
  sent 12 people to the hospital.

Joseph McCarthy, Chairman of the House
Un-American Activities Committee
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"I'm going to sing wherever the people want me to
sing...and I won't be frightened by crosses
burning in Peekskill or anywhere else."
Paul Robeson
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Passport Problems

• Robesons passport was revoked after speaking out
  against the Korean War.
• Robeson could have gotten his passport back if he
  had sworn he was not a communist.
• Robeson refused, and started an 8 year crusade to
  regain his passport.

Pro-Robeson Poster
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I am born and bred in this America of ours, I
want to love it. But we must have the courage to
shout at the top of our voices about our
injustices. And we must lay the blame right where
it is belonged for over three hundred years of
slavery and misery right here on our
doorstep! Paul Robeson
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Robesons Offensive

• Forced to testify in 1956 before McCartys HUAC,
  Robeson boldly declared the committee members
  "the true un-Americans, and you should be ashamed
  of yourselves."
• Prominent Black leaders continued to shun
  Robeson.

Robeson Speaking out
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Because my father was a slave, and my people
died to build this country and I am going to stay
here and have a part of it just like you. And no
fascist- minded people will drive me from it. Is
that clear? Paul Robeson
(Reply to H.U.A.C. question, Why did you not
stay in Russia?)
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• Robeson defied his imprisonment by performing
  via telephone to foreign countries.
• Robeson started his own record company because he
  was blacklisted by all others.
• Robeson continued to speak out against
  persecution of communists and Cold War foreign
  Policy.

One of Robesons Albums released under his own
label.
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• The U.S.Supreme Court reversed the passport
  revocation in 1958, but by then it was too late.
  He had been forgotten by America.
• He spent his later years delusional, suffering
  from many emotional breakdowns.
• Robeson died on January 23rd, 1976, from a
  stroke.

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Although Robeson never regained completely his
health or career, he became a worldwide symbol of
resistance to oppression http//www.npg.si.edu/e
xh/robeson/robes2.htm
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www.ovationtv.com/artszone/programs/robeson
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Credits

• Paul Robeson (Born to be Free), performed by
  Black 47. Used with artists permission (and
  wholehearted blessings).
• Chambers, Lori, et al., Paul Robeson,
  www.rutgers.edu/robeson/main.html Accessed June
  2002.
• The definitive website on Paul Robeson, from
  which much of the material for this presentation
  was garnered, was produced by his alma mater
  Rutgers University in 1998, the centennial of his
  birth.

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• Remembering Paul Robeson- April 9, 1998,Online
  NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/
  remember/1998/robeson_4-9.html. Discussion on the
  centennial of Robesons birth. Accessed 10-02.
• Paul Robeson Home Page, Electronic New Jersey- A
  Digital History of New Jersey, www.scc.rutgers.edu
  /njh/PaulRobeson. Accessed 10-02. Exploration of
  Robesons formative years growing up in a
  predominately white world.

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• Paul Robeson on the Web, Princeton Public
  Library, www.princeton.lib.nj.us/robeson/links,
  Accessed 10-02. Exhaustive list of links to
  Robeson related websites.

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