The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-04-15
Americas No. Negro BY JEROME ..41r1
CONDENSED freT
The American MagAxine)

Paul Robson. playing Othello
this season in New York. has not
only broken all American box-office
records for this Shakespearean
tragedy; he has established himself
firmly as Americas most distin-
guished living Negro.
Having already crowded three re- |
markable careers into his 46 years
-as football star. lawyer. and con- !,
cert singer-this versatile six-foot-
three giant now proves himself TO
be one of our great Shakespearean
actors.
"My whole social and political
development was in England" Rob-
eson told me, as if that should ex-
plain a number Of things. "and !
became as much part of English
life as I now am Of American"
Many of his friends were Rus
SLAMS or Russian sympathizers. and
the Communist ideas OF racial
equality agreed exactly with his.
He became convinced that the Rus
sian philosophy was the only one
that would lift the Negro out Of
persecution and he has doggedly
supported the Community party
line. He made several visits to
Russia, was quoted as declaring.
Its good to breathe the free air
here" and when Paul Jr., was nine
years old, sent him to school in
Moscow for a year. then brought
him back to enter a Russian school
in London.
~ didn't want him to contend
with racial prejudice until he waS
older" he says.
Robson and his wife made one
trip 10 Spain as guests Of the Loyal
lists. A public-address system was
set up outside Of Madrid near the
battle Line, and Robson sang de-
FAINT songs in Spanish that rolled
out Of loud-speakers over the 10y
aiists in the trenches and across
into the ears Of Frances men.
- y y
Mrs. Robson, two years ago,
picked out their home, which is q
southern colonial house in Enfield
Conn, on the main highway be-
field, Mass. Sixteen-year-o,d Pau
Jr., is senior in Springfield Tech
meal high school and expects to en-
|, ter Cornell next fall. to study avia
ton engineering. and Mrs. Robesor
is studying anthropology in Hart
ford Seminary Foundation, work
ing for a Ph.D. degree.
Except that Robson sings nov
and then in the high school 70
tia scholarship fund, they TAX
little part in Enfield activities. Thei
.. social life there is with friends VIII
come out from New York for tn
. week end
Most Of their. Negro friends sr
:. doctors, lawyers. and teachers. The
don't move in Harlem's live m
ltap-dsncing set. Mrx Nooeson
more OF . scholar than . housekeef
er, and their nving-room looks lik
| the Workshop of an absent-minde
work in Q war plant Bookcase,
packed tight. line the room, the to-
Of the grand piano Is Uttered wit
books and music. everywhere ar,
tables covered with books and mag
szines. On the floor against tn,
wall. probably waiting for the wa
10 END so pedestalS can be made
are bronze heads of Robson sns
his son. done by Jacob Epstein.
* y *
Robeson's rooms al both the En-
field and New York houses are
hung with heavy curtains. Away!
tightly closed. As We sat in hi.
New York study one afternoon will
the lights burning brightly. ! looked
u at the huge. curtained window
and suggested, It's a fine sunshinS
day outside. II the curtains were
opened We would be able to ses
the beautiful silvery pinnacle OF TIT
Chrysler Building reaching towsrc
the sky"
He shook his head. "It must b.
my mothers Indian blood" he said
in a steady tone. y always wan
the curtains closed and the light:
!, turned on. in any room. DON
like TO look out al the world"
Ihen, quickly. as !. he had sale
!. something he wished he hadn't, hi
began talking about something else