Paul Robeson

PAUL ROBESON d1976. Singer and actor best remembered for his powerful rendition of "Ol Man River" in Showboat. He was the first black actor to play Othello in 1930 and his films include Borderline (1930) / Emperor Jones (1933) / King Solomons Mines (1937) and Proud Valley (1940). He was an exceptional athlete / scholar and author ; however his radical activist views and political beliefs ultimately damaged his career and erased his popularity. He died in 1976 in seclusion after many years suffering poor health.