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Paul Robeson
Recounts the high and low moments of the renowned black singer and actor's life and career and of his efforts on behalf of equal opportunities and rights for all people
32 pages, Hardcover
First published March 30, 1975
About the author
Eloise Greenfield
75 books54 followersGreenfield was born Eloise Little in Parmele, North Carolina, and grew up in Washington, D.C., during the Great Depression in the Langston Terrace housing project, which provided a warm childhood experience for her.[1] She was the second oldest of five children of Weston W. Little and his wife Lessie Blanche (née Jones) Little (1906–1986). A shy and studious child, she loved music and took piano lessons.[2][3] Greenfield experienced racism first-hand in the segregated southern U.S., especially when she visited her grandparents in North Carolina and Virginia.[4] She graduated from Cardozo Senior High School in 1946 and attended Miner Teachers College until 1949. In her third year, however, she found that she was too shy to be a teacher and dropped out.[5]
Greenfield began work in the civil service at the U.S. Patent Office. In 1950, she married World War II veteran Robert J. Greenfield, a long-time friend. She began writing poetry and songs in the 1950s while working at the Patent Office, finally succeeding in getting her first poem published in the Hartford Times in 1962 after many years of writing and submitting poetry and stories.[6] After joining the District of Columbia Black Writers Workshop in 1971, she began to write books for children. She has published more than 40 children's books, including picture books, novels, poetry and biographies. She says that she seeks to "choose and order words that children will celebrate".[5][7]
Dismayed by the depiction of blacks and black communities in popular media, Greenfield has focused her work on realistic but positive portrayals of African-American communities, families and friendships.[1] These relationships are emphasized in Sister (1974) a young girl copes with the death of a parent with the help of other family members, Me and Nessie (1975) about best friends, My Daddy and I (1991) and Big Friend, Little Friend (1991) about mentoring.[5] Her first book, Bubbles (1972), "sets the tone for much of Greenfield's later work: Realistic portrayals of loving African American parents working hard to provide for their families, and the children who face life's challenges with a positive outlook."[1] In She Come Bringing Me that Little Baby Girl (1974), a boy deals with feelings of envy and learns to share his parents' love when his baby sister arrives. The poignant Alesia (1981) concerns the bravery of a girl handicapped by a childhood accident. Night on Neighborhood Street (1991) is a collection of poems depicting everyday life in an urban community. One of her best-known books, Honey I Love, first published in 1978, is a collection of poems for people of all ages concerning the daily lives and loving relationships of children and families. Her semi-autobiographical book Childtimes: A Three-Generation Memoir (1979) describes her happy childhood in a neighborhood with strong positive relationships.[5] In the introduction to that book, she explains her interest in biography:
People are a part of their time. They are affected, during the time that they live by the things that happen in their world. Big things and small things. A war, an invention such as radio or television, a birthday party, a kiss. All of these help to shape the present and the future. If we could know more about our ancestors, about the experiences they had when they were children, and after they had grown up, too, we would know much more about what has shaped us and our world.[8]
In 1971, Greenfield began work for the District of Columbia Black Writers' Workshop, as co-director of adult fiction and then, in 1973, as director of children's literature. That group's goal was to encourage the writing and publishing of African-American literature. She was writer-in-residence at the District of Columbia Commission on the Arts and Humanities in 1985-86 and taught creative writing in schools under grants from the Commission. She has also lectured and given free workshops on writing of African-American children's
Greenfield began work in the civil service at the U.S. Patent Office. In 1950, she married World War II veteran Robert J. Greenfield, a long-time friend. She began writing poetry and songs in the 1950s while working at the Patent Office, finally succeeding in getting her first poem published in the Hartford Times in 1962 after many years of writing and submitting poetry and stories.[6] After joining the District of Columbia Black Writers Workshop in 1971, she began to write books for children. She has published more than 40 children's books, including picture books, novels, poetry and biographies. She says that she seeks to "choose and order words that children will celebrate".[5][7]
Dismayed by the depiction of blacks and black communities in popular media, Greenfield has focused her work on realistic but positive portrayals of African-American communities, families and friendships.[1] These relationships are emphasized in Sister (1974) a young girl copes with the death of a parent with the help of other family members, Me and Nessie (1975) about best friends, My Daddy and I (1991) and Big Friend, Little Friend (1991) about mentoring.[5] Her first book, Bubbles (1972), "sets the tone for much of Greenfield's later work: Realistic portrayals of loving African American parents working hard to provide for their families, and the children who face life's challenges with a positive outlook."[1] In She Come Bringing Me that Little Baby Girl (1974), a boy deals with feelings of envy and learns to share his parents' love when his baby sister arrives. The poignant Alesia (1981) concerns the bravery of a girl handicapped by a childhood accident. Night on Neighborhood Street (1991) is a collection of poems depicting everyday life in an urban community. One of her best-known books, Honey I Love, first published in 1978, is a collection of poems for people of all ages concerning the daily lives and loving relationships of children and families. Her semi-autobiographical book Childtimes: A Three-Generation Memoir (1979) describes her happy childhood in a neighborhood with strong positive relationships.[5] In the introduction to that book, she explains her interest in biography:
People are a part of their time. They are affected, during the time that they live by the things that happen in their world. Big things and small things. A war, an invention such as radio or television, a birthday party, a kiss. All of these help to shape the present and the future. If we could know more about our ancestors, about the experiences they had when they were children, and after they had grown up, too, we would know much more about what has shaped us and our world.[8]
In 1971, Greenfield began work for the District of Columbia Black Writers' Workshop, as co-director of adult fiction and then, in 1973, as director of children's literature. That group's goal was to encourage the writing and publishing of African-American literature. She was writer-in-residence at the District of Columbia Commission on the Arts and Humanities in 1985-86 and taught creative writing in schools under grants from the Commission. She has also lectured and given free workshops on writing of African-American children's
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 21, 2021
I love good middle school level bios. You get good summaries and highlights before diving into an adult-oriented title for the full deal. Greenfield does a good job here with the iconic black academic, athlete, actor, singer and activist. I think I’ll do his autobiography to follow-up.
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September 9, 2017There aren't any picturebook biographies of Paul Robeson, but my mom found me this illustrated kid's book biography (written by a Black person, even).
I really appreciate the thoughtfulness of language in this book:
"When William D. Robeson was a boy, he was enslaved. He was not free, and he was forced to work without pay on a plantation in North Carolina. He hated being enslaved."
I feel like I've only heard about the shift from "slave" to "enslaved person" (making slavery not a core characteristic of an individual but rather something that was done to them) in the past year or two, but this is a 1975 book, revised in 2009.
"[William Robeson] became pastor of the Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church in Princeton, New Jersey. Princeton was a small town built around a big university. The university was for white students. White people who lived in the town often went to meetings and parties at the university. Black people went to meetings and parties at Reverend Robeson's church."
I don't think the word "segregation" shows up anywhere in this book, but the author is very matter-of-fact about what life was like in the 1880s and 1890s. (Interestingly, while the book says, "[Paul] had learned from his father the importance of doing his best. Paul also learned other things by watching and listening to his father. He learned to love words---written words and spoken words. He learned to be proud of being black. He learned that people should do the things they really believe in," it merely states, "A few years after Mrs. Robeson's death, Reverend Robeson again became pastor of a church. The church was in Westfield, near Princeton," but Wikipedia informs me:
"Paul sang in the church choir. He loved music, especially the black music called spirituals. Spirituals are religious songs. They are a mixture of the music black people had known in Africa and the music and words they added after they were kidnapped to America."
Again, no euphemistic "brought from Africa," but a clear and accurate "kidnapped."
I really appreciate the thoughtfulness of language in this book:
"When William D. Robeson was a boy, he was enslaved. He was not free, and he was forced to work without pay on a plantation in North Carolina. He hated being enslaved."
I feel like I've only heard about the shift from "slave" to "enslaved person" (making slavery not a core characteristic of an individual but rather something that was done to them) in the past year or two, but this is a 1975 book, revised in 2009.
"[William Robeson] became pastor of the Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church in Princeton, New Jersey. Princeton was a small town built around a big university. The university was for white students. White people who lived in the town often went to meetings and parties at the university. Black people went to meetings and parties at Reverend Robeson's church."
I don't think the word "segregation" shows up anywhere in this book, but the author is very matter-of-fact about what life was like in the 1880s and 1890s. (Interestingly, while the book says, "[Paul] had learned from his father the importance of doing his best. Paul also learned other things by watching and listening to his father. He learned to love words---written words and spoken words. He learned to be proud of being black. He learned that people should do the things they really believe in," it merely states, "A few years after Mrs. Robeson's death, Reverend Robeson again became pastor of a church. The church was in Westfield, near Princeton," but Wikipedia informs me:
[William] Robeson served as minister of the Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church in Princeton, New Jersey from 1880 until 1901.[1] It was built for the black members of the First Presbyterian Church of Princeton (now known as Nassau Presbyterian Church).[4][5])
Robeson was ousted as minister by his church after 20 years of service. He was said to have aligned himself "on the wrong side of a church fight," having refused to bow to pressure from the "white residents of Princeton" that he cease to "speak out against social injustice."
"Paul sang in the church choir. He loved music, especially the black music called spirituals. Spirituals are religious songs. They are a mixture of the music black people had known in Africa and the music and words they added after they were kidnapped to America."
Again, no euphemistic "brought from Africa," but a clear and accurate "kidnapped."
Often Paul went to large peace meetings held by communists. Communists believe in a different kind of government than the one in the United States. Many Americans did not like communists and were afraid they would make the United States a communist country.
In the 1940s and 1950s, some members of Congress in Washington, D.C., where laws are made, began to punish communists and their friends. The communists lost their jobs or had to go to jail. The people who wanted Paul Robeson to stop talking about problems began to punish him for having communist friends.
August 25, 2020
Paul Robeson, scholar, football player, activist, and actor. A thorough look at his life.
July 17, 2012
Main Characters: Paul Robeson
Point of View: 3rd person
Setting: Various
Plot: This biography covers Paul Robeson's life, sratring with i=his father's escape from slavery. It covers, his religious upbringing, his struggles with racism at Rutgers as he excelled academically and athletically and his career in entertainment and activism afterwards.
Main Ideas: Black History, Biograph
I highly recommend this book. Paul Robeson's story is very inspiring and vital knowledge for all Americans. The book is written in a very approachable and easy to read manner, while still packing much information and commentary of Robeson's life. His legacy serves as a model of aspiration and hope for change.
Point of View: 3rd person
Setting: Various
Plot: This biography covers Paul Robeson's life, sratring with i=his father's escape from slavery. It covers, his religious upbringing, his struggles with racism at Rutgers as he excelled academically and athletically and his career in entertainment and activism afterwards.
Main Ideas: Black History, Biograph
I highly recommend this book. Paul Robeson's story is very inspiring and vital knowledge for all Americans. The book is written in a very approachable and easy to read manner, while still packing much information and commentary of Robeson's life. His legacy serves as a model of aspiration and hope for change.
Read
February 9, 2011Greenfield is able to pack a lot of information in this relatively short book. We learn not only about who Paul Robeson was, but also how slavery formed his beliefs. The illustrations by George Ford, which appear to be done in black watercolor, help bring the story to life.
As I read this book I found it inspirational how someone overcame social stigma (the color of his skin) and made something of himself. He didn’t allow anyone tell him that even though slavery was over, he still wasn’t worthy of anything. He followed his dream of sports and performance and succeeded against all odds.
Great book for children of all ages.
As I read this book I found it inspirational how someone overcame social stigma (the color of his skin) and made something of himself. He didn’t allow anyone tell him that even though slavery was over, he still wasn’t worthy of anything. He followed his dream of sports and performance and succeeded against all odds.
Great book for children of all ages.
December 14, 2011
I like this biography because it is very inspirational and it gave a lot of information on Paul Robeson. My only complaint is that the author should have broken the book up into sections. It was very long and a little overwhelming to sit and read all at once.
Because it's so long and isn't broken up into chapters or sections, I probably wouldn't use this book to read aloud to my students. I would recommend it to students though to help them see that despite unfortunate events that may happen in their lives, you always have to get back up on your feet, hold your head high, and continue to work hard because you can accomplish anything if you set your mind to it.
Because it's so long and isn't broken up into chapters or sections, I probably wouldn't use this book to read aloud to my students. I would recommend it to students though to help them see that despite unfortunate events that may happen in their lives, you always have to get back up on your feet, hold your head high, and continue to work hard because you can accomplish anything if you set your mind to it.
January 27, 2017
Paul Robeson led a upstanding life. He worked tirelessly in all he did - football, college, law school, music and theatre. This is a beautiful illustration of his life. More than a picture book...it's a short chapter book with magnificent artwork.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews