-
March
30,1996 - Legendary folksinger Pete Seeger writes letter to
the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC), urging the issuance
of a commemorative postage stamp in honor of Paul Robeson.
Pete’s letter initiates a nationwide petition campaign for a
Robeson stamp, which becomes an integral part of the work of the
Bay Area Paul Robeson Centennial Committee and many other
organizations, involving hundreds of individuals in a “labor of
love” that ultimately bears fruit on January 20, 2004.
-
April, 1997
- As the Centennial year
approaches, a meeting is called and BAPRCC forms under the direction of
trade unionist, David Aroner. Volunteers pool their ideas and time
to aid the stamp drive and plan events for the upcoming
centennial year. David Aroner brings to the Committee the
abilities and skills of a veteran professional organizer.
-
June, 1997
- The Service Employees
International Union, AFL-CIO, contributes $1000 to
the BAPRCC to assist with the centennial effort.
-
The California
Federation of Labor joins the Alameda and San Francisco Central
Labor Councils in adopting a resolution supporting the efforts of the
BAPRCC.
-
July, 1997
-
Congressman Ronald V. Dellums circulates a "Letter to
Colleagues" asking them to join him in signing a letter to
the Citizens Advisory Committee advocating the issuance of a Paul
Robeson Commemorative Stamp. Over thirty-five members of
Congress co-sign the letter.
-
September
5-8,
1997 - BAPRCC joins in celebrating the rededication of the San
Francisco Opera House by reminding those attending that Paul
Robeson's deep cultural roots extended to the Bay Area, having
sung at the Opera House on November 12, 1940 and March 5, 1946. Barred
from the opera house in 1952, Robeson was able to sing at the
Macedonia Baptist Church on Sutter street.
-
September 16, 1997 -
Oakland City Council considers naming one of two new city
buildings after Paul Robeson. BAPRCC members attend the
session to show their support for this action.
-
September 25, 1997 -
Dr. Zuretti L. Goosby, President of the War Memorial Board of
Trustees sends BAPRCC Chair, Sylvester Hodges a letter stating,
"Should there be any way the War Memorial Board of Trustees
can be of assistance during the ensuing year... please feel free
to call upon us and we shall be pleased to undertake consideration
of your request."
-
October, 1997 - BAPRCC
monthly newsletter, "On My Journey Now," reports that
after receiving recommendations from its Public Works Committee,
the Oakland City Council dropped the issue of naming a new city
building after Robeson. BAPRCC members vow to keep up the effort.
-
Autumn,
1997 - BAPRCC continues to meet regularly as do the Education,
Labor and K-12 Schools subcommittees.
-
December, 1997 - The
Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee announces the subjects of 30
stamps representing the first two decades of the twentieth
century. Crayola Crayons and the Teddy Bear are among the
stamps to be issued. Despite the submission of hundreds of
signatures from the Bay Area and nearly 100,000 nationwide, there is
no mention of Paul Robeson.
-
December 14, 1997 - The
Northern California ACLU Bill of Rights dinner in San Francisco
includes a BAPRCC display and a presentation of slides in tribute
to Paul Robeson in their
program.
-
January 11, 1998 - The
BAPRCC presents "An Afternoon of
Music and Poetry" in
honor of Paul Robeson at Northbrae Community Church in
Berkeley. This free event includes performances and oration
by many Bay Area notables. Over 300 attend, despite pouring
rain.
-
January 16-18,
1998 - BAPRCC holds Paul Robeson workshop at the 12th Annual
Western Workers Labor Heritage Festival in Burlingame, California.
-
February, 1998 - Free
Radio Berkeley disc jockey and BAPRCC member, Gene Gordon, begins
his twenty-four one-hour, in-depth radio programs on Robeson.
-
February 15, 1998 - The
African American Center of the San Francisco Public Library
presents "Paul Robeson and the United Nations Genocide
Petition," part of a year-long series sponsored by Amnesty
International commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the U.N.
Declaration of Human Rights.
-
February 21, 1998 - The
BAPRCC holds a benefit at the Lorraine Hansberry Theater in San
Francisco. "Lift Every Voice: A Celebration of African
American History" includes performances by opera bass and
actor, Eugene Jones, Vukani Mawethu and vocalist Alex Bagwell,
among others.
-
February 25, 1998 -
Paul Robeson is awarded a posthumous Lifetime Achievement GRAMMY
Award by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Paul Robeson Jr. accepts on behalf of his father.
-
March, 1998 - BAPRCC
brings longtime friend of Paul Robeson, Lloyd L. Brown, to the Bay
Area.
-
March, 1998 - The
BAPRCC arranges for the San Francisco Jewish Bulletin to do a
major interview with Lloyd L. Brown on "Paul Robeson and The
Jewish Community." Published in summer of 1998, the interview
discusses the mutual admiration and deep respect shared by Robeson
and people of Jewish descent.
-
March 1, 1998 - The Bay
Area Post of The Veterans of The Abraham Lincoln Brigade's annual
gathering is dedicated to Paul Robeson to honor his contributions
to Spain's struggle against fascism in 1936-39. Robeson's association
with the VALB is celebrated with a theatrical work performed by
the San Francisco Mime Troupe and is entitled "The Artist
Must Take Sides." Abraham Lincoln Brigade veteran and
Bay Area resident Milt Wolfe hosts and historian Sterling
Stuckey lectures on Paul Robeson's early years. The BAPRCC
is on hand to provide information on Robeson, garner signatures
for the stamp 
petition and sell Robeson items.
-
March 26, 1998 - Laney
College in Oakland presents "Paul Robeson Centennial
Celebration," featuring Prentice Phillips, baritone; William
Duncan Allen, piano and remarks by Lloyd L. Brown in their music
department.
-
March 27, 1998 - Lloyd
L. Brown opens the biennial "Let Us Break Bread Together"
at the Paramount Theater where he speaks before a full house about
Robeson's legacy. A performance by the Oakland East Bay Symphony
follows, with performances by the Oakland Symphony Chorus, Oakland
Interfaith Gospel Choir, Oakland Youth Chorus, Laney Concert
Chorale and renowned baritone Macatee Hollie, under the direction
of conductor Michael Morgan.
-
March 28, 1998 - Lloyd
Brown speaks at the African American Community Service agency in
San Jose, California.
-
March 28, 1998 - At the
Herbst Theater in San Francisco, The Sports Image Educational Foundation
honors Paul Robeson along with Magic Johnson and other athletes
who have given their time and effort to better their community.
Paul Robeson, Jr. is on hand to accept a
posthumous Lifetime Achievement award for his father.
-
March 31, 1998 -
Stephen Meyers leads a
"Post Denominational Worship Service in Celebration of the
Life of Paul Robeson" at the Pacific School of Religion in
Berkeley, California.
-
Spring 1998 - Alliance
Graphics in Berkeley publishes "Freedom or Slavery: The Paul
Robeson Portfolio," a beautiful collection of lithographs and
accompanying quotations created for the Centennial.
-
April, 1998 - The
2,000-square foot Rutgers University exhibit: "Paul Robeson 
Artist and
Citizen" tours Camden, NJ; Los Angeles, CA; Washington, DC; City
Museum, NYC.
-
April 9, 1998 - The
Paul Robeson's 100th Birthday, the centennial year officially
begins.
-
April 9, 1998 -
University Art Museum/Pacific Film Archive screens three Robeson
films, including the rarely shown 1930 film Borderline, in honor
of the Robeson centennial.
-
April 10, 1998 - The
revival of the musical "Showboat" opens at the Orpheum
Theater in San Francisco. The BAPRCC works closely with publicists
for the show and makes available literature, videos, and CDs.
-
April 21, 1998 -
President Bill Clinton sends a congratulatory fax to the Paul
Robeson Centennial Celebration in Westchester County, New York.
His letter includes the statement "A century after Paul
Robeson's
birth, we live in a nation that is stronger because of
his vision and eloquent voice."
-
April 26, 1998 - The
Unitarian - Universalist Fellowship of the East Bay dedicates its
Sunday service to Robeson.
-
June 28, 1998
- Two
booths at The 1998 San Francisco Gay Pride Celebration commemorate
Paul Robeson's legacy as civil rights activist.
-
July 2-30, 1998
- The San Francisco Library presents "Paul Robeson: a
Centennial Tribute." This multi-faceted event includes
photographs, a chronology and the screening of six films, all free to the public.
-
July 12, 1998 - The 5th
Annual LaborFest presents "A Labor Tribute to Paul Robeson" at the Bayview Opera House. BAPRCC
members Joe
Johnson and Alex Bagwell are among the program's performers.
-
August
23, 1998- Conductor
Michael Morgan and the Oakland East Bay Symphony again performs
"Ballad for Americans," this time as part of the concert
at the Band Shell in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, sponsored
by.
Musicians Local 6 and the BAPRCC, with soloist Macatee Hollie.
-
Labor Day, 1998 - The
BAPRCC is in attendance at the Annual Labor Day Picnic on Treasure
Island. Hundreds of people discover (or rediscover)
Robeson, by speaking with BAPRCC members and listening to Macatee
Hollie, accompanied by pianist William Duncan Allen.
-
Fall, 1998 - BAPRC
educational subcommittee forms under the direction of Betty Brown
and Amanda Costello. The goals include a formal letter to be
sent to curriculum directors of Bay Area schools, an upcoming
educational fair and making speakers available to schools.
-
October, 1998 - Dr.
Charles Wright, author of Paul Robeson: Labor's Forgotten
Champion, The Peace Advocacy of Paul Robeson, and founder of the Museum
of African
American History in Detroit, visits the Bay Area as
guest of the BAPRCC. He lectures on Paul Robeson's role as a
peace maker and speaks to young people at the Alameda County
Juvenile Hall.
-
January
10, 1999 -
Education Sub-Committee members, under the direction of Bay Area
educators Judy Hirsch and Mary Prophet, put on a Paul Robeson
education fair at La Pena in Berkeley. The fair features
a wide variety of books, films, leaflets and school curriculum.
The
event is packed with parents, teachers and community members.
-
February, 1999 -
The BAPRCC hosts a film and lecture at Claremont House
in Oakland. The film screened is the 1939 "Proud
Valley," shot on location in Wales and regarded by
Robeson as his favorite. The directors of Claremont House have
kindly made their meeting facilities available to the BAPRCC and
it is our way of thanking them.
-
Winter,
1999 - With the
Centennial Year nearly over, general committee participation winds
down. The BAPRCC becomes solely an eight-member steering
committee (see Our Team), whose main
goal will be educational projects aimed primarily at the high
school level.
-
March, 1999 - BAPRCC
steering committee member Amanda Casabianca travels to Wales,
where she spends a week with Martha Edwards, a film extra in "Proud
Valley" and curator of "Paul Robeson - Honorary Welshman."
Martha Edwards provides invaluable guidance with regard to creating a permanent Robeson exhibit.
-
Spring, 1999 - The
BAPRCC holds a joint retreat with the San Jose Centennial
Committee. The body concludes that the work to bring Robeson into Northern California schools
should be given highest priority.
-
April 27,
2002 - The Bay Area Paul Robeson Centennial Committee and the Oakland Unified School District host a celebration ceremony for the naming of the Paul Robeson Oakland Unified School District Administration Building, drawing an overflow audience. Congresswoman Barbara Lee, who had earlier stated her inability to be present, flies home from Washington DC, just in time to grace the gathering with her appearance and her heartfelt tribute to Robeson.
-
May
18, 2002 - Concert is held at Peace Arch Park, on US-Canada border, north of Blaine, WA, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Robeson’s concert at the same
spot on May 18, 1952. In dramatic defiance of government’s ban on his leaving US soil, standing on a flatbed truck parked one foot inside the US border at the Peace Arch, in Blaine, Washington, speaks and sings to a crowd of 40,000 Canadians and Americans gathered on both sides of the border.. The 2002 event is organized by the Solidarity Notes Labour Choir, of Vancouver, BC, and the Seattle Labor Chorus. Program features actor and political activist Danny Glover reading Robeson’s May 18, 1952 speech and performances by the Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir, Ronnie Gilbert, activist and member of the legendary Weavers (blacklisted, like Robeson during the "American Inquisition" of the 1940s-50s), poet/singer/songwriter Agrippa, Madeleine Parent (labor hero imprisoned under Quebec's notorious "padlock law"), World War II veteran Alden Bryant (of Berkeley, CA) accompanied by Harold Brown on the original piano played at the 1952 concert. The 3,000 people from Washington State and British Columbia, some of whom are hearing of Robeson for the first time, are able to learn more about his life from educational displays.The issues dear to Paul Robeson - social justice, freedom, and civil rights - are as pertinent today as they were in 1952.
-
February 18,
2004 - The Bay Area Paul Robeson Centennial Committee, the Oakland District of the United States Postal Service and Merritt
College co-sponsor a Stamp Unveiling Ceremony in honor of the issuance
of the Paul Robeson Commemorative Stamp, with special guest speakers Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Willie Adams, Secretary-Treasurer of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), and cultural performances by Merritt students and the Vukani Mawethu, a Bay Area
community choir.
-
February 19,
2004 - The Bay Area Paul Robeson Centennial Committee and the African American Leadership Advisory Council of the San Francisco District of the
United States Postal Service, Bay View Hunters
Point Post Office hold Paul Robeson Stamp Unveiling Ceremony, with keynote speaker San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris, performances by four school and community choirs, and a duet from the Bay Area Paul Robeson Centennial Committee.
-
February 26,
2004 - The Bay Area Paul Robeson Centennial Committee and the Black Faculty and Staff at California State University Hayward present a Paul Robeson Stamp Unveiling Ceremony as benefit for the school’s “Upward Bound” Scholarship Program.
