With only about 30,000 residents, the town of Princeton often feels as though its only notable traits are events many decades or centuries past, and, of course, its University, which attracts students, professors, and tourists from all around the world. However, for students specifically, the incentives to explore off campus are close to zero, as we are fortunate to have a seemingly endless amount of events, guest speakers, and entertainment on campus. If we do leave campus, it is likely in order to commute to a neighboring area, fulfill a referral from University Health Services, or run some other errand. Even so, there are many aspects about Princeton as a neighborhood that aren’t often spoken of. While they may not be as conspicuous as some of the city’s more famous historical events, they are still worth remembering. An unexpected feature of Princeton’s history is that it is the hometown of actor, singer, athlete, and leftist political activist Paul Robeson, who found success and respect both in the United States and abroad, even through the hardships of racism.
As a black man navigating majority white spaces, Robeson was no stranger to blatant racism and discrimination, as he faced obstacles based on his race in every stage of his life. Born in 1898 in Princeton, NJ, Paul Robeson and his family lived in a home at 110 Witherspoon Street until Robeson was eight years old. They were forced to move to the attic of a store about 30 miles away from Princeton after his father lost his job at the Princeton Presbyterian Church and his mother passed away. Despite tragic beginnings, Robeson’s polymathy flourished in high school as he excelled in theater, athletics, and academics. This in turn allowed him to receive a full ride scholarship from Rutgers, making him only the third African American man to attend the university. At around the same time, Princeton was falling back towards racism. After a short period of admission for black students pre-World-War-I, black admission was halted until around the post World War II era. This exclusionary practice wouldn’t have been a surprise to Robeson, as he struggled to find respect even when he proved his merit in several fields. Although he was a star athlete, many college football teams refused to play Rutgers because he was on the team. After receiving a law degree from Columbia Law School, Robeson practiced law for only a few years, until becoming unwilling to continuously face racism in firms after a stenographer refused to take his diction because of his race. Fortunately, Robeson had his acting and musical talents to fall back on, and he decided to pursue a full-time film career which advanced his reach across the globe. It was only in England, where Robeson enrolled in the School of Oriental and African Studies in London in 1934, that his radical political views began to flourish. Eventually, he was encouraged to visit the Soviet Union with an anti-imperialist organization.
In the midst of widespread anti-Communist sentiment during the Red Scare, Robeson saw a much different world when he visited Moscow. “Here I am not a Negro but a human being for the first time in my life… I walk in full human dignity” (The Independent, 1935). In the USSR, Robeson, along with many other African American intellectuals and leaders, experienced a society where race was not the determining factor of treatment or status in society. Robeson was often questioned about why he decided to come back to the United States, which is a common question asked of those who are vocal about the inequalities in their home country. Robeson responded to these inquiries with, “Because my father was a slave, and my people died to build this country, I am going to stay here and have a part of it just like you, and no fascist-minded people will drive me from it.” (Paul Robeson, House of Un-American Activities Council Testimony 1956)
I first heard of Paul Robeson through his connections to a United Nations petition from 1951 entitled “We Charge Genocide: The Historic Petition to the United Nations for Relief From a Crime of The United States Government Against the Negro People.” Robeson presented the petition to the United Nations along with the Civil Rights Congress, a short lived radical legal defense organization. The document sought to raise awareness of and prosecute the United States for systematic discrimination against African Americans. The petition opened with:
“The Civil Rights Congress has prepared and submits this petition to the General Assembly of the United Nations on behalf of the Negro people in the interest of peace and democracy, charging the Government of the United States of America with violation of the Charter of the United Nations and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. ” – (We Charge Genocide, Introduction, 1951)
The document highlighted the proliferation of educational inequality, mass incarceration, job and housing discrimination, and more. The document isn’t referenced often due to its failure to widely circulate during an intensely anti-Communist period. However, it did have a clear reach in Europe, as it raised awareness about the conditions of African Americans in the US. Despite highlighting many Civil Rights struggles for African Americans, Robeson’s Communist affiliations subsequently led to him to be blacklisted from Hollywood, denied a passport from the State Department for nearly a decade, and subjected to close FBI surveillance on himself and his family for the remainder of their lives.
While there have been several attempts to disregard Robeson’s legacy, it seems as though the residents of Princeton have not entirely forgotten about Robeson’s impact. The city has preserved his childhood home as commemoration and as an “‘open house’ for the discussion, review and resolution of concerns in the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood, with special emphasis on resident concerns, immigration issues, cultural and social services.” Other examples include a plaza and boulevard dedicated to him in New Brunswick. While these may not be able to completely encompass his international awards and recognition, they are subtle reminders of his humble beginnings in New Jersey.
Paul Robeson had a number of friends who went on to become prominent long-time faculty members at Princeton, even while he had almost no affiliation with the university, despite living in close proximity to it for the formative years of his life. If Robeson had been admitted to the university, we would undoubtedly have a building, center, or even an arch named after him. Better yet, his impact in standing up for justice and equality worldwide would likely have a further reach both on a local and national scale.
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