Sing and Shout

June 1, 2020
Rubin (Give Us the Vote!) skillfully recounts the life of outstanding student, athlete, actor, singer, and social activist Paul Robeson (1898–1976), interlacing narrative of his artistic career with commentary on his position on and accomplishments as a champion for black rights. From his father, a minister who escaped enslavement, Robeson inherited a powerful, mellifluous voice and strong principles. A Phi Beta Kappa student and football star at Rutgers, where he was initially the sole black student, Robeson earned a law degree from Columbia University but instead chose an artistic career. He achieved both financial security and international recognition by popularizing spirituals via concerts and starring in Show Boat, as Othello in Broadway’s longest-running Shakespeare play, and commercially successful films. During the 1930s, Robeson increasingly used his prominence to criticize fascism and advocate for human dignity. His activism attracted unfavorable attention from the FBI, which rescinded Robeson’s passport. A lifelong nonconformist, Robeson brought joy to audiences and inspired a generation of civil rights leaders. Rubin appends a comprehensive bibliography, listing of Robeson’s music, and Harlem walking tour recommendations to her sympathetic, lucid portrait of a great voice. Ages 12–up.