Celebrating 2026 Paul Robeson Day
Apr 09 | Football
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers Athletics joins in the celebration of Paul Robeson Day, which honors the famed actor, singer, scholar and groundbreaking global activist each April 9 across the state of New Jersey.
A 1995 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame, Robeson became valedictorian of the Rutgers Class of 1919 and twice earned All-America status as a Rutgers football player in an era when racial segregation prohibited Black players at many colleges and universities. He was the third African-American to enter Rutgers and first to play football.
As part of the recognition, women's lacrosse will mark the occasion during their game tonight (6 p.m.) versus Michigan at SHI Stadium. On Friday, Jakora Thompson, director of the Paul Robeson Cultural Center, will throw out the first pitch prior to baseball's game versus UCLA at Bainton Field (6 p.m.).
A true renaissance man, Robeson won 12 letters in four sports at Rutgers: four in football, three each in basketball and baseball and two in track. After his tenure at Rutgers, he became an accomplished actor, singer and lecturer. That included appearances on Broadway, in movies and starring in performances across the country, Europe and Africa, all while advocating for civil rights.
In 2024, SHI Stadium unveiled a mural by Alonzo Adams to portray the various facets of Robeson's life. The 24 x 8 feet piece of art is located behind student seating in sections 142 and 143. Rutgers also named three buildings for him – a library on the Camden campus, student center on the Newark campus and the Paul Robeson Cultural Center on the New Brunswick campus.
His father, Rev. William Robeson, had escaped slavery in 1860 in North Carolina at age 15. His mother, Maria Bustill, was a teacher. When Paul Robeson was a high school senior, he won the statewide academic test and received a scholarship to Rutgers. He also earned a law degree from Columbia University. He died Jan. 23, 1976, was commemorated on a US postal stamp and named to the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame in 1988.
Follow Rutgers football on X (@RFootball & @RUboardwalk), Facebook (/RFootballShow) and Instagram (@rfootball & @ruboardwalk) for the latest news and updates. Also subscribe to the YouTube channel.
A 1995 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame, Robeson became valedictorian of the Rutgers Class of 1919 and twice earned All-America status as a Rutgers football player in an era when racial segregation prohibited Black players at many colleges and universities. He was the third African-American to enter Rutgers and first to play football.
As part of the recognition, women's lacrosse will mark the occasion during their game tonight (6 p.m.) versus Michigan at SHI Stadium. On Friday, Jakora Thompson, director of the Paul Robeson Cultural Center, will throw out the first pitch prior to baseball's game versus UCLA at Bainton Field (6 p.m.).
A true renaissance man, Robeson won 12 letters in four sports at Rutgers: four in football, three each in basketball and baseball and two in track. After his tenure at Rutgers, he became an accomplished actor, singer and lecturer. That included appearances on Broadway, in movies and starring in performances across the country, Europe and Africa, all while advocating for civil rights.
In 2024, SHI Stadium unveiled a mural by Alonzo Adams to portray the various facets of Robeson's life. The 24 x 8 feet piece of art is located behind student seating in sections 142 and 143. Rutgers also named three buildings for him – a library on the Camden campus, student center on the Newark campus and the Paul Robeson Cultural Center on the New Brunswick campus.
His father, Rev. William Robeson, had escaped slavery in 1860 in North Carolina at age 15. His mother, Maria Bustill, was a teacher. When Paul Robeson was a high school senior, he won the statewide academic test and received a scholarship to Rutgers. He also earned a law degree from Columbia University. He died Jan. 23, 1976, was commemorated on a US postal stamp and named to the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame in 1988.
Follow Rutgers football on X (@RFootball & @RUboardwalk), Facebook (/RFootballShow) and Instagram (@rfootball & @ruboardwalk) for the latest news and updates. Also subscribe to the YouTube channel.
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