Paul Leroy Robeson, born in Princeton, N.J. but with lifelong ties to Philadelphia, was a Renaissance man who spent most of his life fighting injustice, for which he was roundly persecuted. He was an actor, orator, athlete, lawyer, singer, author, scholar, activist and linguist. Most of all, the “tallest man in the forest” – he stood 6-foot-3 – was an authentic American Hero. Robeson’s career spanned nearly 50 years, with his most well-known work as an entertainer both in the United States and abroad, playing title roles in “Othello,” “Showboat,” “The Emperor Jones” and other Broadway plays. He recorded albums and filled concert halls.
Robeson’s popularity changed after he first went to Russia in 1934 and found that he was treated better there than in the United States. He spoke in support of workers and common people both abroad and in this country, and marched against discrimination, leading J. Edgar Hoover to revoke his passport. The U.S. Supreme Court in 1958 reinstated the passport, but while Robeson eventually regained some of his stature, he and his accomplishments are still not fully recognized or acknowledged today. In 1966, Robeson came to Philadelphia, and remained here under the protective eye of his sister Marian until his death in 1976.
The docent-led tour of the House and Museum will be followed by a pay-on-your-own lunch at the 48th Street Grille, recognized by Visit Philly as one of the city’s Top Cajun and Caribbean restaurants. They use fresh, locally sourced ingredients that best represent a true taste of the Caribbean (www.48thstreetgrille.com).