April 9, 1998 is the 100th Birthday of Paul Robeson! What an exciting opportunity it is to re-introduce the American public and especially our young people to this extraordinary actor, singer, athlete, lawyer, scholar and fighter for justice. Sad to say, the vast majority of Americans do not recognize the accomplishments and meaning of this profound man.

In Chicago, a group of artists, educators and community activists have come together to gather resource materials and plan a complex of projects and events to honor this outstanding African-American, Paul Robeson.

Our mission is to:

• Launch and maintain a nationwide campaign for a US postage stamp honoring Paul Robeson.
• Produce teacher lesson plans and other educational materials.
• Inform filmmakers, writers, artists and key organizations about the upcoming centennial.
• Create and distribute an extensive Robeson resource listing of plays, films, books, tapes, posters, teaching materials and much more.
• Establish and maintain a Robeson Celebration Home Page on the Internet.
• Assist in the planning of major and small events in Chicago honoring Robeson, and encouraging groups to plan celebrations in other cities.
• Maintain a listing of events and exhibitions on Robeson to be held across the U.S.

While the Robeson Stamp Campaign chugs along we're encouraging individuals and organizations to come together and think out significant ways to celebrate Robeson in your city.

• Could a group plan a film festival or a resource packet for teachers, or an essay, poster or poetry contest in the schools?
• Does your city have a children's choir that could perform -- what about a church choir?
• Could there be interviews conducted with folks who knew Paul Robeson, or a publication put together of new (and maybe old) poems on Robeson?
• Could there be an event on Robeson and his involvement in the labor movement?
• Research the history of Paul Robeson in your city.
• Would libraries have "mini exhibits" in their locked glass cabinets?
• Could local TV or radio stations create special programming?
• Could your union, community organization, or your city council pass a resolution in support of the Robeson Centennial?

Check out our Home Page to gather more celebration ideas and resources. You will see that major exhibitions are under construction. Some of the great old Robeson books will be reprinted and new books are being published.Celebration groups have formed in many parts of the U. S. We know that around the world there will be hundreds of large and small celebrations happening from February 1st through April of 1998.

Please keep us posted on your city's plans. Please share resource materials that you create or discover so that all the Robeson celebrations can be richer. We urge you to let us know your ideas on how to build this dramatic campaign in your city and nationwide. It is our goal that these ideas and activities will begin to re-introduce PAUL ROBESON into the main stream of 20th Century American history.

Sincerely,

Dr. Margaret Burroughs
Founder, DuSable Museum of African American History, Chicago, IL
Timuel Black
Professor Emeritus, Malcolm X College, Chicago, IL
Nancy Mikelsons
Independent Scholar
Ramon Price
Chief Curator, DuSable Museum of African American History, Chicago, IL
Mark Rogovin
Founder, The Peace Museum, Chicago, IL

   for the Paul Robeson Centennial Celebration

E-mail to: robeson.centennial@pobox.com
 (please also include your postal address)
Web site: http://pobox.com/~robeson/

Local and National Committees in Formation