We shall not make war on the Soviet Union. He momentarily assumed a role in the civil rights movement,[271] making a few major public appearances before falling seriously ill during a tour. [40] His father, who was the "glory of his boyhood years"[41] soon died, and at Rutgers, Robeson expounded on the incongruity of African Americans fighting to protect America in World War I but, contemporaneously, being without the same opportunities in the United States as whites. At Columbia, he sang and acted in off-campus productions. In the same year, another Kurdish poet, Cegerxwîn, also wrote a poem about him, "Heval Pol Robson" ("Comrade Paul Robeson"), which was put to music by singer Şivan Perwer in 1976.[343]. Yet his later life turned tragic and he died in near obscurity; today, it seems that a younger generation has scarcely heard of him. [246], Nikita Khrushchev's denunciation of Stalinism at the 1956 Party Congress silenced Robeson on Stalin, although Robeson continued to praise the Soviet Union. He received his LL.B. When he took the role to Broadway some years later, it ran for nearly 300 performances, the longest-running Shakespeare in Broadway history. [48] His classmates recognized him[49] by electing him class valedictorian. "[118], After Essie discovered Robeson had been having an affair with Ashcroft, she decided to seek a divorce and they split up. Create a commenting name to join the debate, There are no Independent Premium comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts, There are no comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts. [120] Subsequently, he received, with immense pride, an honorary master's degree from Rutgers. [304] His efforts to end Apartheid in South Africa were posthumously rewarded in 1978 by the United Nations General Assembly. [75] Essie financially supported them and they frequented the social functions at the future Schomburg Center. His father started life as a plantation slave in North Carolina, but escaped in 1860 and eventually become a pastor. His sympathies for the Soviet Union and for communism, and his criticism of the United States government and its foreign policies, caused him to be blacklisted during the McCarthy era. [119] Robeson returned to Broadway as Joe in the 1932 revival of Show Boat, to critical and popular acclaim. [83], The success of his acting placed him in elite social circles[84] and his ascension to fame, which was forcefully aided by Essie,[85] had occurred at a startling pace. [97] Paul Robeson Jr. was born in November 1927 in New York, while Robeson and Brown toured Europe. "And there is an 'Othello' when I am ready..One of the great measures of a people is its culture. "[225], In 1951, an article titled "Paul Robeson – the Lost Shepherd" was published in The Crisis[226] although Paul Jr. suspected it was written by Amsterdam News columnist Earl Brown. [68] The play was adapted by Mrs. Patrick Campbell to highlight his singing. "[239] At that hearing, Robeson stated "Whether I am or not a Communist is irrelevant. But think of the operatic roles and art songs that he might have tackled, had he lived in a different era – or had his own been more open-minded. [18] Eventually, William became financially incapable of providing a house for himself and his children still living at home, Ben and Paul, so they moved into the attic of a store in Westfield, New Jersey. He had suffered a stroke on Dec. 28 and had been … [147] He then played the role of Toussaint L'Ouverture in the eponymous play by C.L.R. [258], In October 1960, Robeson embarked on a two-month concert tour of Australia and New Zealand with Essie, primarily to generate money,[259] at the behest of Australian politician Bill Morrow. [214] Robinson testified that Robeson's statements, "'if accurately reported', were silly'". On December 17, 1951, Robeson presented to the United Nations an anti-lynching petition titled "We Charge Genocide". [clarification needed][169] With Max Yergan, and the CAA, Robeson became an advocate in the aspirations of African nationalists for political independence. Even now, one can’t help noting that it has taken a British filmmaker, not an American, to plan his screen biography. [121] Thereabout, his former football coach, Foster Sanford, advised him that divorcing Essie and marrying Ashcroft would do irreparable damage to his reputation. He also studied Swahili and phonetics at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London in 1934. [103] It was, nonetheless, immensely popular with white audiences. Due to his decision not to recant his public advocacy, he was denied a passport by the U.S. State Department, and his income, consequently, plummeted. Robert Alan, "Paul Robeson – the Lost Shepherd". [116] The production received mixed reviews which noted Robeson's "highly civilized quality [but lacking the] grand style. In the final issue, July–August 1955, an unsigned column on the front page of the newspaper described the struggle for the restoration of his passport. [311], As of 2011[update], the run of Othello starring Robeson was the longest-running production of a Shakespeare play ever staged on Broadway. The question is whether American citizens, regardless of their political beliefs or sympathies, may enjoy their constitutional rights. And, equally valuably, he can make us question those forces that set out to devalue and destroy him. There his depression reemerged, and after another period of recuperation in Moscow, he returned to London. You can also choose to be emailed when someone replies to your comment. [29] The coach, Foster Sanford, decided he had overcome the provocation and announced that he had made the team. Above all things, we boast that the only true artistic contributions of America are Negro in origin. [27] He tried out for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team,[28] and his resolve to make the squad was tested as his teammates engaged in excessive play, during which his nose was broken and his shoulder dislocated. [19], William found a stable parsonage at the St. Thomas A.M.E. Zion in 1910,[20] where Robeson filled in for his father during sermons when he was called away. [212], In order to isolate Robeson politically,[213] the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) subpoenaed Jackie Robinson[214] to comment on Robeson's Paris speech. [276] During his treatment at the Priory, Robeson was being monitored by the British MI5. [157] His business agent expressed concern about his political involvement,[158] but Robeson overruled him and decided that contemporary events trumped commercialism. In the United States he became active in the Civil Rights Movement and other social justice campaigns. The existing Open Comments threads will continue to exist for those who do not subscribe to Independent Premium. In a white man’s world during the Cold War, Robeson was considered a double danger: both black and red. [79] The role terrified and galvanized Robeson, as it was practically a 90-minute soliloquy. cf. Between 1925 and 1961, Robeson recorded and released some 276 distinct songs, many of which were recorded several times. In 1956, Robeson was called before HUAC after he refused to sign an affidavit affirming that he was not a Communist. After graduating, he became a figure in the Harlem Renaissance with performances in The Emperor Jones and All God's Chillun Got Wings. We boast of the culture of ancient Africa. My Opinion Paul Robeson was one of the bravest men who ever lived. [347] At the 2007 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, British-Nigerian actor Tayo Aluko, himself a baritone soloist, premiered his one-man show, Call Mr. Robeson: A Life with Songs, which has since toured various countries. Black 47's 1989 album Home of the Brave includes the song "Paul Robeson (Born to Be Free)", which features spoken quotes of Robeson as part of the song.