²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵÃâ·Ñ°æapp

Perhaps the most famous African American actor of the early 20th century, Paul Robeson rose to prominence during the Harlem Renaissance.

Robeson took a roundabout route to the stage. His father, a formerly enslaved person who had gone on to earn a degree in theology from Lincoln University, instilled a keen social awareness in the younger Robeson.

After attending Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey (where he earned All-American honors on the football field and Phi Beta Kappa honors in the classroom), Paul graduated as the valedictorian of his class in 1919. From that springboard he entered Columbia University, where he earned a law degree in 1923.

By day, Robeson worked as a lawyer in the New York law office of Stotesbury and Miner. Encouraged by his wife, Essie, he also moonlighted as an actor in local YMCA productions. The overt racism that Robeson experienced in the law office [and his passion for acting] convinced him to take up acting full-time.

In 1921, Robeson joined the chorus of the landmark musical Shuffle Along. Three years later, he braved death threats to star in Eugene O’Neill’s All God’s Chillun Got Wings, which featured an interracial romance. Later that same year, Robeson played the lead role of O’Neill’s The Emperor Jones (1924) in the London production of the play; he would also star in the 1933 film version.

Robeson distinguished himself and his profession by achieving spectacular success in stage and film roles that had previously been off limits to Black actors. His legendary performances in Showboat, Othello, and the Oscar Micheaux film Body and Soul became benchmarks by which later generations of actors would measure themselves. As Robeson’s acting career ushered him around the globe, he became a passionate and outspoken advocate of civil rights and social justice. Several bitter run-ins with racism led him to a flirtation with communism—and resulting banishment from the stage. After living in Great Britain from 1958 to 1963, Robeson returned to the States and lived out his life in obscurity and ill health.

Kennedy Center Education Digital Learning

Eric Friedman 
Director, Digital Learning

Kenny Neal 
Manager, Digital Education Resources

Tiffany A. Bryant 
Manager, Operations and Audience Engagement

JoDee Scissors 
Content Specialist, Digital Learning

Connect with us!

Generous support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by the U.S. Department of Education. The content of these programs may have been developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education but does not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education. You should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Gifts and grants to educational programs at the Kennedy Center are provided by A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation; Annenberg Foundation; the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; Bank of America; Bender Foundation, Inc.; Capital One; Carter and Melissa Cafritz Trust; Carnegie Corporation of New York; DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities; Estée Lauder; Exelon; Flocabulary; Harman Family Foundation; The Hearst Foundations; the Herb Alpert Foundation; the Howard and Geraldine Polinger Family Foundation; William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust; the Kimsey Endowment; The King-White Family Foundation and Dr. J. Douglas White; Laird Norton Family Foundation; Little Kids Rock; Lois and Richard England Family Foundation; Dr. Gary Mather and Ms. Christina Co Mather; Dr. Gerald and Paula McNichols Foundation; The Morningstar Foundation;

The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; Music Theatre International; Myra and Leura Younker Endowment Fund; the National Endowment for the Arts; Newman’s Own Foundation; Nordstrom; Park Foundation, Inc.; Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; The Irene Pollin Audience Development and Community Engagement Initiatives; Prince Charitable Trusts; Soundtrap; The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust; Rosemary Kennedy Education Fund; The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates; UnitedHealth Group; The Victory Foundation; The Volgenau Foundation; Volkswagen Group of America; Dennis & Phyllis Washington; and Wells Fargo. Additional support is provided by the National Committee for the Performing Arts.

Social perspectives and language used to describe diverse cultures, identities, experiences, and historical context or significance may have changed since this resource was produced. Kennedy Center Education is committed to reviewing and updating our content to address these changes. If you have specific feedback, recommendations, or concerns, please contact us at [email protected].