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Sing and Shout: The Mighty Voice of Paul Robeson

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Sing and Shout: The Mighty Voice of Paul Robeson

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Overview

This comprehensive biography explores the tumultuous and passionate life of activist, singer, and actor Paul Robeson.

When faced with the decision to remain silent or be ostracized, Paul Robeson chose to sing, shout, and speak out. Sing and Shout: The Mighty Voice of Paul Robeson explores how Robeson's love of African American spirituals and deep empathy towards the suffering of others drove his long, fervent mission as a civil rights activist and his career as an artist. Although he was also an actor, singing was Robeson's defining talent and where he could best express himself. After exploring socialism, Robeson was targeted by the U.S. government for speaking out about discrimination against African Americans and for his political views. He was labeled a communist during the height of the Cold War and found himself stripped of his U.S. passport. But Robeson never gave in and continued to perform and speak out. The book is based on author Susan Goldman Rubin's extensive research, including fieldwork in Harlem, NY, in Princeton and Somerville, NJ, and at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ. Includes an author's note, resources, source notes, index, and a preface by author Harry Belafonte.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781629798578
Publisher:	Astra Publishing House
Publication date:	04/07/2020
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	6.60(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.90(d)
Lexile:	1050L (what's this?)
Age Range:	10 - 16 Years

About the Author

Susan Goldman Rubin grew up in the Bronx and dreamed of becoming an artist. She illustrated her first three picture books, but then turned to writing nonfiction, mainly about art and history. She is the author of more than fifty-five books for young people and lives in Malibu, California, where she has been an instructor in the UCLA Extension Writers' Program for 20 years.

Preface 8

Foreword 10

A Note on Terms Used in This Book 13

Personal Note 14

1 I'm Gonna Sing and Shout 16

2 A Motherless Child 24

3 A Home in That Rock 31

4 On My Journey Now 37

5 My Heart in Pain 46

6 We Are Climbing Higher and Higher 51

7 England's Green and Pleasant Land 62

8 Get on Board 68

9 The Walls Came a Tumblin' Down 78

10 Ol' Man River 86

11 The Little Wheel Runs by Faith 94

12 One That Loved Not Wisely 102

13 Sometimes I'm Up, Sometimes I'm Down 109

14 Feel the Spirit 116

15 No Second CLASS Aboard This Train 127

16 The Fare Is Cheap and All Can Go 131

17 Let My People Go 137

18 I Must Keep Fighting Until I'M Dying 147

19 Arise, Triumphant, the Laboring Folk 153

20 Who Are You? America! 162

21 The Right to Speak My Mind 171

22 Scandalize My Name 179

23 As Soon As Ever My Back Was Turned 187

24 Oppressed So Hard 197

25 Sometimes I Feel Discouraged, and Think My Work's in Vain 204

26 Nobody Knows My Sorrow 210

27 We're Soldiers in This Fight 219

Acknowledgments 230

Bibliography 232

Robeson's Music (includes discography and videos) 237

Walking Tour of Robeson Sites in Harlem 239

Source Notes 240

Index 271

Picture Credits 284

Text and Song Permissions 286

From the B&N Reads Blog

Page 1 of

Editorial Reviews

06/01/2020
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. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year
Chicago Public Library Best Informational Book for Older Readers

"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. 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." — Publishers Weekly

"A veteran author for younger readers, Rubin provides a meticulously researched biography that integrates numerous archival images. This offering foregrounds Robeson as a powerful, studied voice of Negro spirituals, a black folk music tradition rich in religious symbolism that arose in response (and resistance to) enslavement in the U.S. Rubin lays out Robeson’s lifelong evolution on a number of personal and political issues in dialogue with his wife, Eslanda, and other noteworthy figures. Readers can expect to sit with these lessons from the committed life of one of the 20th century’s most resonant voices. A rigorous, relatable text about one of America’s all-time entertainers and social activists." —Kirkus Reviews

"The opening vignette in Rubin’s detailed look at a Renaissance American shows Robeson performing in 1925’s 'music event of the year.' The wildly acclaimed concert was just one triumph in the life of this remarkable performer, sportsman, civil rights champion, and son of a runaway enslaved man. Rubin presents Robeson’s life in short chapters starting with his childhood...and continuing through his life as a young father...to his controversial life as an outspoken critic of conditions for African Americans. (T)he writing...is complemented by clearly reproduced black-and-white images of Robeson, his family, and others, which help bring the era to life. More than 50 pages of back matter...extensive notes, create opportunities aplenty for further research. A quality choice for history and biography shelves." —Booklist

"Readers of this thorough biography might ask themselves, 'Is there anything Paul Robeson couldn’t do?' Robeson gained fame with his marvelous singing voice, performing spirituals in concert, acting in plays, and appearing in hit films. He aimed to portray dignified African Americans...at a time when roles for people of color were relegated to degrading stereotypes. As time went on, he devoted more energy to speaking out about civil rights. Robeson never stopped fighting against injustice. Middle and high school students will find inspiration in the life of this fascinating figure in African American history." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

05/01/2020
Gr 6 Up—Readers of this thorough biography might ask themselves, "Is there anything Paul Robeson couldn't do?" Robeson was one of the first Black students to attend Rutgers University, where he excelled at football and academics. Despite his many talents, Robeson couldn't eat in a restaurant or stay at a hotel with his teammates when he traveled with this team because of Jim Crow laws. After a brief stint at New York University School of Law, he moved to Harlem in 1920 to attend Columbia Law School. After he graduated in 1922, he briefly pursued a career as a lawyer. Robeson gained fame with his marvelous singing voice, performing spirituals in concert, acting in plays, and appearing in hit films like Show Boat. He aimed to portray dignified African Americans in plays and films at a time when roles for people of color were relegated to degrading stereotypes. One of his biggest triumphs was portraying Othello on Broadway in 1943. As time went on, he devoted more energy to speaking out about civil rights. Robeson made connections between groups facing oppression across the globe, including those under Nazi occupation during World War II, fascist rule during the Spanish Civil War, apartheid in South Africa, and Black people in America. J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI labeled him a communist and took away his passport during the 1950s, but Robeson never stopped fighting against injustice. VERDICT Middle and high school students will find inspiration in the life of this fascinating figure in African American history.—Amy Duffy, Chicago Public Library

School Library Journal

2020-03-25
Focuses on Robeson’s rich, multifaceted legacy, including how his love for song served as a touchpoint throughout his historic life.
A veteran author for younger readers, Rubin provides a meticulously researched biography that integrates numerous archival images. This offering foregrounds Robeson as a powerful, studied voice of Negro spirituals, a black folk music tradition rich in religious symbolism that arose in response (and resistance to) enslavement in the U.S. Lyrics from Robeson’s repertoire form the titles of chapters, which cover his birth in Princeton, New Jersey, in 1898; his childhood and youth; his triumphant global following in the 1930s and ’40s; the turbulent 1950s, when he became a primary target of Cold War McCarthyism; and his final years in Philadelphia. Harry Belafonte, Robeson’s mentee, provides a preface, declaring his significance as a champion of the oppressed as being on par with that of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. With such an exceptional man, it would be easy to simply submit to hero worship, but Rubin lays out Robeson’s lifelong evolution on a number of personal and political issues in dialogue with his wife, Eslanda, and other noteworthy figures. Readers can expect to sit with these lessons from the committed life of one of the 20th century’s most resonant voices.
A rigorous, relatable text about one of America’s all-time entertainers and social activists. (preface, foreword, note on terminology, personal note, bibliography, Robeson’s music, Harlem walking tour, source notes, index, picture credits, text and song permissions) (Biography. 12-adult)

Kirkus Reviews

Sing and Shout: The Mighty Voice of Paul Robeson

Sing and Shout: The Mighty Voice of Paul Robeson

Hardcover

Hardcover

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Overview

Product Details

About the Author

Table of Contents

Customer Reviews

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Overview

Product Details

About the Author

Table of Contents

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Customer Reviews