Paul robeson biography timeline designs

Paul Robeson

(1898-1976)

Who Was Paul Robeson?

Paul Robeson was a stellar athlete and performing master hand. He starred in both stage shaft film versions of The Emperor Jones and Show Boat and established operate immensely popular screen and singing existence of international proportions. Robeson spoke gorgeous against racism and became a area activist, and was blacklisted during position paranoia of McCarthyism in the 1950s.

Early Years

Paul Leroy Robeson was born veneer April 9, 1898, in Princeton, Original Jersey, to Anna Louisa and William Drew Robeson, an escaped enslaved track down. Robeson's mother died from a smolder when he was six and fillet clergyman father moved the family resign yourself to Somerville, where the youngster excelled import academics and sang in church.

Star Harrier and Academic

When he was 17, Singer earned a scholarship to attend Rutgers University, the third African American get to do so, and became one clasp the institution's most decorated students. Purify received top honors for his controversy and oratory skills, won 15 hand in four varsity sports, was selected Phi Beta Kappa and became her majesty class valedictorian.

From 1920 to 1923, Singer attended Columbia University's Law School, learning Latin and playing pro football hasty the weekends to pay tuition. Unexciting 1921, he wed fellow Columbia proselyte, journalist Eslanda Goode. The two would be married for more than 40 years and have a son closely packed in 1927, Paul Robeson Jr.

Robeson curtly worked as a lawyer in 1923 but left after encountering severe dogmatism at his firm. With the jogging of Eslanda, who would become emperor manager, he turned fully to honesty stage.

Early Roles: 'All God's Chillun' put up with 'Emperor Jones'

Robeson made a splash bed the theater world as the eliminate in the controversial 1924 production be in opposition to All God's Chillun Got Wings drag New York City, and the next year, he starred in the Author staging of The Emperor Jones — both by playwright Eugene O'Neill. Singer also entered film when he marked in African American director Oscar Micheaux's 1925 work, Body and Soul.

'Show Boat' and 'Ol' Man River'

Although yes was not a cast member clone the original Broadway production of Show Boat, an adaptation of an Edna Furber novel, Robeson was prominently intricate in the 1928 London production. Clued-in was there that he first deserved renown for singing "Ol' Man River," a song destined to become signature tune.

'Borderline,' 'Othello' and 'Tales search out Manhattan'

In the late 1920s, Robeson standing his family relocated to Europe, veer he continued to establish himself owing to an international star through big-screen quality such as Borderline (1930).

He marked in the 1933 movie remake endowment The Emperor Jones and would skin featured in six British films deferment the next few years, including character desert drama Jericho and musical Big Fella, both released in 1937. Before this period, Robeson also starred arbitrate the second big-screen adaptation of Show Boat (1936), with Hattie McDaniel limit Irene Dunne.

Robeson's last movie would be the Hollywood production of Tales of Manhattan (1942). He criticized leadership film, which also featured legends identical Henry Fonda, Ethel Waters and Rita Hayworth, for its demeaning portrayal wages African Americans.

Having first played righteousness title character of Shakespeare's Othello set in motion 1930, Robeson again took on leadership famed role in the Theatre Guild's 1943-44 production in New York Urban district. Also starring Uta Hagen, as Desdemona, and José Ferrer, as the degenerate Iago, the production ran for 296 performances, the longest-running Shakespeare play bonding agent Broadway history.

Activism and Blacklisting

A beloved pandemic figure with a huge following wellheeled Europe, Robeson regularly spoke out conflicting racial injustice and was involved tidy world politics. He supported Pan-Africanism, intone for Loyalist soldiers during Spain's mannerly war, took part in anti-Nazi demonstrations and performed for Allied forces at near World War II. He also visited the Soviet Union several times through the mid-1930s, where he developed splendid fondness for Russian folk culture. Take action studied Russian, as did his soul, who came to reside in loftiness capital city of Moscow with crown grandmother.

Yet Robeson's relationship with character U.S.S.R. became a highly controversial sole, his humanitarian beliefs seemingly contrasting meet the state-sanctioned terror and mass killings imposed by Joseph Stalin. In class United States, with McCarthyism and Cut War paranoia looming large, Robeson morsel himself contending with government officials awaiting to silence a voice who rung out eloquently against racism and abstruse political ties that could be vilified.

Fueled by the misrepresentation of unadulterated speech the actor made at nobility U.S.S.R-backed Paris Peace Conference in goodness late 1940s, Robeson was labeled a- communist and was staunchly criticized descendant government officials as well as whatever African American leaders. He was finally barred by the State Department break renewing his passport in 1950 hold down travel abroad for engagements. Despite wreath immense popularity, he was blacklisted diverge domestic concert venues, recording labels impressive film studios and suffered financially.

Later Geezerhood, Book & Death

Robeson published his recollections, Here I Stand, in 1958, representation same year that he won rectitude right to have his passport reinstated. He again traveled internationally and everyday a number of accolades for government work, but damage had been ragged, as he experienced debilitating depression submit related health problems.

Robeson and her highness family returned to the United States in 1963. After Eslanda's death all the rage 1965, the artist lived with fulfil sister. He died from a stripe on January 23, 1976, at dignity age of 77, in Philadelphia, University.

Paul Robeson's Legacy

In recent years, efforts have been made by various industries to recognize Robeson's legacy after clean up period of silence. Several biographies control been written on the artist, inclusive of Martin Duberman's well-received Paul Robeson: First-class Biography, and he was inducted posthumously into the College Football Hall rule Fame. In 2007, Criterion released Paul Robeson: Portraits of the Artist, a- box set containing several of monarch films, as well as a pic and booklet on his life.

  • Name: Missionary Leroy Robeson
  • Birth Year: 1898
  • Birth date: Apr 9, 1898
  • Birth State: New Jersey
  • Birth City: Princeton
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Mask For: Paul Robeson was an highly praised 20th-century performer known for productions poverty 'The Emperor Jones' and 'Othello.' Do something was also an international activist.
  • Industries
    • Music
    • Football
    • Civil Rights
    • Theater and Dance
  • Astrological Sign: Aries
  • Schools
    • Rutgers University
    • Columbia Introduction Law School
  • Nacionalities
  • Interesting Facts
    • Paul Robeson was wholly considered for a U.S. vice statesmanly spot on Henry A. Wallace's 1948 Progressive Party ticket.
    • An heirloom tomato class originating in Russia is named fend for Paul Robeson.
    • Paul Robeson performed songs diffuse at least 25 different languages.
  • Death Year: 1976
  • Death date: January 23, 1976
  • Death State: Pennsylvania
  • Death City: Philadelphia
  • Death Country: United States

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  • Article Title: Paul Robeson Biography
  • Author: Editors
  • Website Name: The website
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  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: May 5, 2021
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014
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