ACTOR     ACTIVIST     SCHOLAR     ATHLETE    
WORLD CITIZEN     CONCERT ARTIST    

ACTOR

Robeson started his long stage career appearing in Eugene O’Neill’s plays. He earned international acclaim for his lead role in the London and Broadway productions of Othello. He emerged as a film star, but left the industry as his characters often reflected racial stereotypes. Robeson stressed the positive aspects of African culture and community.

ACTIVIST

Advocating civil rights around the world, Robeson rallied for the black struggle for equality, participated in Save China assemblies, protested British colonialism in Jamaica, and financially assisted Jewish refugees fleeing Hitler. His outspokenness led to his being blacklisted and his passport revoked during the McCarthy era.

SCHOLAR

After becoming Phi Beta Kappa, a champion debater, and Rutgers’ class valedictorian, Robeson received a law degree. To be an effective leader, he mastered many languages including Chinese, Swahili, Swedish, and Turkish, studied subjects such as Proust and Igbo dance, and discussed world peace with Albert Einstein.

ATHLETE

Despite violence by racist teammates, Robeson won 15 varsity letters at Rutgers and was named twice to the All-American Football Team. He visited Lafayette’s campus while competing in college football and basketball. Years later, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and was celebrated as one of the 100 greatest athletes of the 20th century.

WORLD CITIZEN

Equally comfortable with the people of Moscow, Nairobi, and Harlem, Robeson spoke and performed at strike rallies, conferences, and labor festivals worldwide. As a believer in international cooperation, he protested the growing Cold War and worked tirelessly for friendship and respect between the U.S. and U.S.S.R.

CONCERT ARTIST

A world-renowned singer, Robeson played a pivotal role in bringing black spirituals into the classical music repertory. He used his deep baritone voice to promote peace and justice in 25 languages during concert tours on several continents. A few years ago, he received a posthumous Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement.

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Event featured the awarding of Lafayette's inaugural Paul Robeson Humanitarian Award to Maurice Bennett '06

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ACTOR ACTIVIST SCHOLAR ATHLETE WORLD CITIZEN CONCERT ARTIST