Paul Robeson -"through thorns to the stars"- " All God's Chilluns'"

oil on canvas by Kris Ralph © 2005- 102cm x 76cm

"LET THE LIGHT OF FREEDOM GUIDE US TO A BRAVE NEW WORLD"

Born 1898. In 1915 he was the third black student to be enrolled at Rutgers University, where he became a twelve letter athlete excelling in baseball, basketball,football and track. He then went on to study law at Columbia University graduating with a degree in 1923. Due to the endemic rascism that he experienced as a professional "black" lawyer, he turned to his second love, Drama and singing.

He starred in films such as "All Gods Chilluns Got Wings" 1924: "Showboat": "Body and Soul": "Jericho"...

He was a tireless campaigner for Civil Rights in the early twentieth Century in the USA.

" To be free to walk the good American earth as equal citizens, to live without fear, to enjoy the fruits of our toil to give our children every opportunity in life- that dream which we have held so long in our hearts is today the destiny that we hold in our hands." Paul Robeson

More Info

http://www.scc.rutgers.edu/njh/PaulRobeson/