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Background

Paul Robeson was a scholar, athlete, singer, actor and activist, he made an impression on anyone who saw him perform or listened to his voice on record or radio. As the son of an escaped slave, he stood up for the rights of the oppressed, even if it meant sacrificing his performing career.

Paul Robeson will always be closely associated with Wales. There have been several books and articles written about his ties with Wales, covering his meetings with Aneurin Bevan, his frequent appearances at Welsh festivals, to his political activities and support for the Welsh miners. Music has also been influenced, with Welsh rockers the Manic Street Preachers singing about his political exile from America in their song ‘Let Robeson Sing’ from their 2001 album ‘Know Your Enemy’.

Robeson’s connection can be felt most deeply in the 1940s movie ‘The Proud Valley’, which saw Robeson’s character David Goliath visit Wales for employment. The villagers initially had misgivings, but David was soon welcomed into their community through song and his heroic endeavors.

 

Possible questions to discuss

  • Who was Paul Robeson?
  • What connection did Paul Robeson have with the Welsh miners?
  • What struggles did Welsh miners have at the time?
  • Who were the Black miners of Wales?

Activity ideas

Learning experiences

(derived from the statements of what matters)

Languages, Literacy and Communication
  • Listening with empathy and respect
  • Listen and understand
  • Understanding perspectives
Humanities
  • Social and cultural importance
  • Identity
  • Social similarities and differentiation
  • Understanding human rights
  • Developing paths of enquiry

"My ancestors were among the first to people America. Men and women of my family were brought over as slaves in 1620. My folks were torn from their tropical shores, herded in slave ships to build from their toil and broken backs the primary wealth of America. My own father was born a slave."

Paul Robeson

Seton, M. (1958) Paul Robeson

Timeline

Date of birth

Paul Robeson was born on 9 April 1898 in Princeton, New Jersey, USA.

School

At high school he shone at singing in the choir, drama and sport.

Paul Robeson in his school days
Paul Robeson in his school days

Rutgers College

Paul Robeson American Football
Paul Robeson American Football

He won an academic scholarship to Rutgers College in 1915, only the third African American to do so. He suffered racial prejudice, especially on the sporting field. 

Law Career

Having graduated at Columbia Law School, Robeson joined a law firm, but abandoned his law career because of racism.  

Show Boat

He performed in the musical Show Boat at The Theatre Royal, London in 1928, including a Royal Command Performance at Buckingham Palace.

Miners of Wales

Welsh Miners in London
Welsh Miners in London

Robeson’s relationship with Wales begins when he hears a miners’ choir singing on a march from Rhondda to London in 1929. Robeson then visited the Rhondda Valley.

Othello

He was the first Black actor to play the part of Othello in London in 1930.  

Paul Robeson as Othello
Paul Robeson as Othello

Gresford Colliery

Gresffordd Coal Mine
Gresffordd Coal Mine

He sang in a concert at Llandudno Pier Pavilion when news broke of an explosion at Gresford Colliery near Wrexham in 1934. Robeson contributed generously to the families of the 266 men who lost their lives. More information about the Gresford disaster. 

The Proud Valley

Stars in ‘The Proud Valley’ in 1940. During filming Robeson was part of the local community, staying with miners’ families

Proud Valley poster
The Proud Valley poster

Passport

As a result of his work against racism in the US and his connections with communists, he was placed under supervision and his passport was confiscated. 

Radio concerts

He performed a number of radio concerts between 1954-57 for listeners in Wales.  

Eisteddfod visit

After having his passport restored, he visited the National Eisteddfod at Ebbw Vale in 1958.

Paul Robeson at the Eisteddfod
Paul Robeson at the Eisteddfod

Date of death

He died on 23 January 1976.

"Robeson emerged again as a significant cultural marker; a symbol of the internationalism that characterized the best of Wales's past and the signifier of a cultural tolerance which a devolved Welsh nation should seek to develop."

Williams, Daniel. et al. (2012) Black skin, blue books : African Americans and the Welsh, 1845-1945

The Proud Valley, 1940

Wales was the stage for Robeson's final British film, The Proud Valley (1940), in which he played an African-American sailor, who makes the voyage from the USA to Cardiff. Throughout filming Robeson was integrated into the local community, staying as a guest with the families of miners. Robeson later stated: 'There is no place in the world I like more than Wales' (Western Mail, 24 February 1949). 

(Courtesy of STUDIOCANAL) Clip from The Proud Valley, a 1940 film starring Paul Robeson.

"The role which Robeson played was based on life. A Black American miner from the coal Fields of West Virginia, a member of John L. Lewis's union, had come to England and found his way to Wales were he had carried on as a miner along with the Welshmen with whom he became as one."

Seton, M. (1958) Paul Robeson

Wales's Black Miners

Paul Robeson's character in The Proud Valley was inspired by a real person, but how much do we know about the history of Black miners in Wales? As the demand for coal grew, the docks in Cardiff and Barry were an integral cog in the industrial revolution worldwide. Coal was shipped from Cardiff and south Wales all over the world, some of the merchant seamen working on the ships came from west Africa. Many settled in Wales, starting new lives. This migration began in the late 19th century. As well as working down in the docks, many merchant seamen found work in the mines of south Wales. 

Historic Dock Project

Historic Dock logo

Husband and wife team Rebecca and Paul Eversley have been researching migration stories in Wales for over 15 years. Rebecca is an archaeologist and historian with over 25 years experience and Paul is an artist and historian specialising in West African migration in Wales. 

It is important to recognise our industrial past as being the origin of many significant migrations to Wales. Individuals travelled globally for work and Wales (with its vast coal exports) witnessed significant change as increased labour was required to help with the increase in demand.

Community of Gelligaer (Courtesy of Historic Dock Project)
Community of Gelligaer (Courtesy of Historic Dock Project)

The Community of Gelligaer

Families of Gelligaer, Caerphilly, who worked across the South Wales Coal Fields.

Black miners in Wales could be found throughout the coalfields. Records indicate several merchant seamen transferred skills used on board ships for the coal mines. Some of their roles included but were not limited to;

  • Sinker
  • Carpenter
  • Stoker
  • Hewer
  • Fireman

African-American colliers from Pennsylvania, New Orleans, Alabama, and Virginia were also found to be working in Wales. More information available: Historic Dock Project

Case study

Hamadryad collage
Hamadryad collage

The Communities of Wales project has supported Ysgol Hamadryad

to learn more about the experiences of Black miners from Wales and the connection between Paul Robeson and the miners.  The learners had the opportunity to:

  • Learn more about Black miners in Wales with the author and historian Rebecca Eversley-Dawes, who came to deliver a primary and secondary source research workshop. 
  • Research the connection between Paul Robeson and the miners. They watched a clip from the film ‘Proud Valley’.
  • Participate in a poetry workshop with Alex Wharton, Children's Laureate Wales, where they listened to Alex Wharton’s poem ‘Diolch Mr Robeson’ and created couplets about the Black miners from Wales. 
  • Create commemorative plates for the Black miners with the artist Lowri Davies. The couplets they created in the workshop with Alex Wharton were included on the plates.

"The project was very interesting and I enjoyed meeting people who specialise in different things. It was exciting to work with important people who know a lot about various things. I like rap and I haven't heard anyone rap at school before so I enjoyed hearing Alex Wharton rap his poetry. He makes poetry cool.”

Mustafa, 8 years old.

Funded by Welsh Government

External resources

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