Street in West Philadelphia to be named after Paul Robeson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- April marks what would have been the 125th birthday of singer and activist Paul Leroy Robeson. He was a legend known around the globe but had a special connection to Philadelphia.
This week, Philadelphia is celebrating his sacrifice that for so long went unrecognized.
His bass-baritone voice was like no other, Robeson was known as the quintessential 20th-century Renaissance man.
"He was one of the greatest men that ever walked the face of the earth." Robeson's adopted niece Vernoca Micheal said.
Micheal knew Robeson as "Uncle Paul," a giant of his time. But if you ask students today:
"Who do you think is the most famous person, right now in this country? And they'll say Beyonce. I'll say, OK, take those individuals and multiply them three or four times." Janice Sykes-Ross of West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance said. "That was the fame of Robeson."
Not only was Robeson a world-renowned singer, actor, and professional athlete but Robeson who was born in Princeton, New Jersey in 1898 to a former slave and his wife, was also a noted scholar.
He earned an academic scholarship to Rutgers University and graduated from Columbia Law School with honors. He faced discrimination and resistance every step of his journey.
"His teammates tried to kill him, literally. They took the football cleats, they tore off his fingernails, they broke a rib, they broke his nose," Sykes-Ross said.
"Every venue in this country would have been penalized, if they allowed him to sing," Micheal added.
Robeson spoke more than 20 languages and became known around the globe as a political activist speaking out about injustice, human rights, and civil rights.
Anchor Janelle Burrell: "He spoke out, very vocally about issues when it certainly wasn't popular to do so."
Janice Sykes-Ross: "You could easily be killed."
His advocacy ended up with him being blacklisted with his passport revoked for almost a decade.
"In those days, you did not talk about Uncle Paul outside the house. Because you were always surrounded by the FBI and the CIA," Micheal said.
In 1966, Robeson moved into a home on the 4900 block of Walnut Street in West Philadelphia and spent the last decade of his life. The home is now a museum and cultural center dedicated to Robeson.
While walking through the home Micheal shared a photo of Robeson and Albert Einstein and explained they were great friends.
Sitting in one of the rocking chairs Venoca shares, "He would sit here, and oftentimes, just sit here and read his newspaper."
"If Uncle Paul was downstairs, fully dressed, of course, he always wore a suit, he would get up and bow to me. And I used to just delight in that, that was the kind of person he was." Micheal said. "I was determined that this house was not gonna die."
On Friday, the block of Walnut Street where he lived will be renamed Paul Robeson Way. The resolution was passed unanimously by city council.
