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Cummings. <p><b>Second &amp; Third-Floor Galleries Through March 31, 1998</b></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Paul Leroy Robeson was born on April 9, 1898 in Princeton. He was the youngest of five children born to Rev. William Drew Robeson, a former slave, and Maria Bustill Robeson, an educator. Tragically, when Paul was almost six years old, his mother was killed in a parsonage fire. Subsequently, Paul and his father moved first to Westfield, and later to Somerville, where his father assumed pastorates. Rev. Robeson encouraged Paul always to &quot;aim high&quot; and &quot;never quit,&quot; a personal philosophy that helped him amass numerous achievements in scholarship and sports. He began acting at Somerville High School, where he played the lead role in Shakespeare's <i>Othello</i>. He entered Rutgers College (University) on a scholarship where he won twelve varsity letters in football, baseball, basketball and track, and graduated with Phi Beta Kappa honors. He received a law degree from Columbia University in 1923, and while there met and married Eslanda Cardoza Goode. Robeson's sonorous voice and his interpretation of Negro spirituals such as <i>Ol' Man River</i> became his trademark. His stage and film performances, especially in <i>The Emperor Jones</i>, <i>Showboat</i>, and <i>Othello</i>, gained him international recognition.</p> <p>Robeson's political views, and activism for civil rights for African-American and oppressed peoples worldwide caused him to suffer public condemnation in the United States, but he continued to perform in Europe. Robeson declared, &quot;All I want is a good America for all its people. Robeson was indeed a renaissance man and a great American. He died on January 23, 1976 in Philadelphia.</td> </tr> </table> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><table cool width="577" height="176" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" gridx="5" showgridx usegridx gridy="5" showgridy usegridy> <tr height="1" cntrlrow> <td width="1" height="1"></td> <td width="145" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="145" height="1"></td> <td width="5" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="5" height="1"></td> <td width="411" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="411" height="1"></td> <td width="4" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="4" height="1"></td> <td width="9" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="9" height="1"></td> </tr> <tr height="5"> <td width="1" height="5"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="5"></td> <td width="145" height="5"></td> <td width="5" height="5"></td> <td width="411" height="5"></td> <td width="4" height="5"></td> <td width="9" height="5"></td> </tr> <tr height="45"> <td width="1" height="45"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="45"></td> <td width="145" height="45"></td> <td width="420" height="45" colspan="3" rowspan="1" valign="top" align="left" xpos="145" content csheight="45"> <center> <a href="../../InternetResources/index.html"><font size="2">Internet &amp; Electronic Resources</font></a><font size="2"> | <a href="../../Catalog/index.html">Catalog</a> | <a href="../../Collections/index.html">Collections &amp; Services</a> | <a href="../../Branches/index.html">Community Libraries</a> | <a href="../../Children/index.html">For Children</a> | <a href="../../Spanish/index.html">Servicios en Espa&ntilde;ol</a> | <a href="http://ptc.npl.org">Public Technology Center</a> | <a href="../index.html">Programs and Exhibits</a> | <a href="../news.html">News</a> | <a href="../../AboutLibrary/index.html">About the Library</a> | <a href="../../Newark/index.html">Greater Newark Community</a></font> </center> </td> <td width="9" height="45"></td> </tr> <tr height="10"> <td width="1" height="10"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="10"></td> <td width="145" height="10"></td> <td width="5" height="10"></td> <td width="424" height="10" colspan="3" rowspan="1" valign="top" align="left" xpos="150"> <hr noshade size="1" width="424"> </td> </tr> <tr height="113"> <td width="1" height="113"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="113"></td> <td width="145" height="113"></td> <td width="416" height="113" colspan="2" rowspan="1" valign="top" align="left" xpos="145" content csheight="113"><font face="Helvetica,Arial" size="2">http://www.npl.org/Pages/ProgramsExhibits/Exhibits/african-american_month.html</font> <p><font face="Helvetica,Arial" size="2">&copy;2000 The Newark Public Library <br> 5 Washington Street<br> Newark, NJ 07101<br> (973)733-7784</font></p> <p><a href="mailto:webmaster@npl.org"><font face="Helvetica,Arial" size="2">webmaster@npl.org</font></a></td> <td width="4" height="113"></td> <td width="9" height="113"></td> </tr> </table> </body> </html>