Transcript Paul Robeson - HFCSD Homepage

Paul Robeson 1898-1976
“Do you know why Bugs Bunny got his picture
on a stamp and he didn't?”
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‘…)
“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/oldman
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
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
(“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-you’re never gonna make
me grovel…”)
(“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”)
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)
Paul Robeson
(a student/teacher
collaboration by
Jared Hunt/Mr.
Rozell)
Words and Music
by Larry Kirwan
and
Black 47
"The artist must elect to fight
for Freedom or for Slavery. I
have made my choice. I had no
alternative."
Paul Robeson
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.
• 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.
University Life
Robeson on the Gridiron
• 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
• 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.
“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.
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
• 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
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.
1
9
4
3
• 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 NAACP’s
Springam Medal in 1945
as a platform to speak
out against the post-war
developments he
disagreed with.
•The FBI fully noted this
occasion.
"I stand here struggling for the
rights of my people to be full
citizens in this country and they
are not!”
Paul Robeson
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.
"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
• 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
• 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
"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
Passport Problems
• Robeson’s 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
“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
Robeson’s Offensive
• Forced to testify in 1956
before McCarty’s 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
“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?”)
• 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 Robeson’s Albums
released under his own label.
• 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.
“Although Robeson never regained completely his
health or career, he became a worldwide symbol of
resistance to oppression…” http://www.npg.si.edu/exh/robeson/robes2.htm
www.ovationtv.com/artszone/programs/robeson
~fin~
Credits
• “Paul Robeson (Born to be Free)”,
performed by Black 47. Used with artist’s
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.
• 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 Robeson’s 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
Robeson’s formative years growing up
in a predominately “white” world.
• 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.
~fin~