History, Black History, Paul Robeson

1. Paul Leroy Robeson
born April 9, 1898 Princeton NJ
died Jan 23, 1976 Philadelphia
PA

2. William Drew
Robeson,(pronounced Robe-
son) Paul’s father escaped
slavery in 1860 at age 15.
He made it to a free state
and worked his way thru
collage, In 1878 William
married
Maria Louisa Bustills,
Paul’s mother was a free,
Black Quaker, abolish,
teacher and business
person.
• Paul had
three
brothers
and one
sister
Rev. Willian Drew
Robeson
Maria Louisa Bustill
Robeson

3. Paul’s father was a clergyman that
took time with Paul to teach him how
to make speeches and how to act in
the segregated times. One lesson I
thought was interesting was not to
make whites feel threatened by him.
The young Paul excelled in school and
sang in church. He grew up in an
educated area. Where most Black
people worked for rich whites.
In 1895 Paul’s mother passed from a
house fire when he was 6 years old.

4. Paul won a writing
competition for a 4
year scholarship to the
exclusive Rutgers
Collage in 1915.
There Paul showed his
greatness and genius.
Scholar, All American
football, track and
baseball. player

5. While at Rutgers Paul was
subjected to discrimination
of times by the football
team. They beat the crap out
of him on the field. Paul
left thinking not to return.
But is father told him, let
them know that he could take
what ever they could dish
out! Paul return to the
field and dished out some
pain to them! He had no more
trouble. He got their
respect and went on to play
in the NFL.

6. Paul went on to earn
several degrees. Including
in 1920 interring Columbia
University Law School. In
1922 he married Eslanda
‘Essie’ Cardozo Goode.
Paul graduated the next
year. He soon learned that
a Black man in a court
room other then a
defendant was not
acceptable in 1923.
Paul decides to make his
living in the
entertainment industry. He
could sing and act in
English, Russian and
German. In 1930 Paul was
the first African American
to play the role Othello.
His version is still today
the Role model.

7. Paul, his wife and son decide to live in London in 1928 to avoid the racism of USA.
Many people of color were doing the same if they had the means.
While there he becomes an abolitionist. Cool! But Paul does not stop there. He takes
up the fight for Labor workers. But Paul does not stop there. He rallies with the
people against Fascism. He speaks on their behave and sings at gatherings to recruit
members.
The thing is these groups included Socialist and Pro-Communist. And Paul excepted
them with open arms.
In 1939 Paul took his family back to the United States due to the threat of war. He
continued his great success. He is now the best known and influential person in the
40’s.

8. Paul’s trouble starts in 1949 after backing
the Progressive Party a recognized 3rd party
at the time in the presential race. The party
was very much against Jim Crow and with
Socialist and Pro-Communist members.
McCarthyism changed the country. The Red
scare. Everyone dropped anything to do with
communism.
Except Paul. He said something to the effect
no matter what they offer me or threaten to
take away I will not turn on my friends.
I think Paul was showing that he could take
what ever they could dish out. Standing on
his convictions!
In 1950 Paul Robeson was targeted. African
Americans were forced to renounce him. Jackie
Robinson, the famous baseball star, Roy
Wilkins, Leader of the NAACP, W.E.B. DuBois,
Scholar. And Paul was still standing. So,
the US gov. denied his traveling rights.
Solely for his political beliefs. Paul’s
passport was canceled. The US gov. considered
Paul Black and Red. He was the first to be
‘blackballed’. Robing him of his income. This
was done to others but for different reasons.
Eartha Kitt, 1960, Mohmand Ali, 1966.

9. • In 1958 the US Supreme Court passed a law
outlawing canceling passports for political
reasons. Paul’s travel rights were reinstated. He
returned to Russia to renew his ties. While there
in 1961 at a party Paul became sick. Paul’s son
believes his father was given some type of drug
by a CIA chemist named Sidney Gottlieb. At this
time that is the type of crap people were doing.
Chemicals for war, LSD for mind control. The
Tuskegee experiment funded by US Public Heath
Service. I think this is how Stan Lee got the
idea for Captain America.
• In 1963 Paul returned to the US. He
became a recluse spending his last 10
years at his sister’s house in West
Philadelphia.
• Paul passed away from a stroke January 23, 1976.