If the name PAUL ROBESON elicits a nod of recognition, you may be closer to my generation than to that of digital natives. A new picture book biography goes a long way to revealing a hero and icon who could inspire them to greatness on many fronts to upcoming generations. As I think of the life of PAUL ROBESON as it might have played out in a time of widely-shared information I can easily imagine countless schools, auditoriums, and other monuments to his greatness that would sustain him in public awareness for all generations, for all time.
OUTSPOKEN- PAUL ROBESON, Ahead of His Time: A one-man Show, is written by the incomparable Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Eric Velasquez. Those who are familiar with even part of Robeson's life and career will appreciate this beautifully elaborated portrait of his remarkable life and accomplishments. Everything about this book is exceptional, including the quantity of text, the gloriously detailed and revealing illustrations, the lyrical quality of the first person narrative, and the sense of the immediate presence of Robeson on the page, despite his absence from our physical world since his death in 1976. This account makes clear that the impact of his life resonates even today, whether we know of him or not.
Candlewick, 2024
I am generally skeptical of using first person voice in biographic presentations. It is rare that direct quotes can sustain a full accounting in those attempts. Without that validation, assuming the "I" voice for someone else gives me pause. And yet...in Weatherford's capable and respected hands, I trust the approach entirely and feel it serves an immeasurable contribution in producing that sense of Robeson speaking directly to readers on the page. Her channeling of his voice makes this a book worth reading for adults, too.
This book is also unusual in its length (48 pages, including useful and informative back matter, timeline, etc.) large format, high word count, and inclusion of personal elements throughout Robeson's complex and accomplished life. Each stage of his life is explored through free verse poems or prose, utilizing lyrics of songs, repeated phrases and themes, and lyrical language. Beginning with reflections on the heritage of his ancestry (resistance and intelligence, from his enslaved forerunners), carrying through his childhood and every phase of life, the poems and narrative are superb individually and as a compilation of life-story. Each poem across several pages includes majestic, informative images, full-page and spot illustrations, to provide readers with a sense of the time, place, and emotional drama of these Robeson-voiced depictions. The effects of text and illustration together are powerful and moving, with an undeniable reflection of the dignity of the man.
I'll admit my awareness of him was limited to his career as an incomparable singer, a man whose experiences with injustice and assault to his dignity led to living in Europe to experience a higher degree of equality than could be found in this country. Over the years, I learned more through studies of the Civil Rights Movement, Black History Month programs, and some PBS documentary coverage over the years. Even so, none of those scratched the surface of this man's complicated life and layered accomplishments. While I held a deep respect for the man I thought I knew, nothing prepared me for the miracle of this impressive treatment. Weatherford's and Velasquez's deep research and thoughtful structuring of the book and its total design allowed me to know and appreciate Robeson more fully. I believe the same will be true for readers across many ages, with late elementary through middle grade audiences as its target audience.
The public and private treatment Robeson faced in this country (as was true for most non-white people) throughout his life limited the degree of his contemporary fame and success. Nevertheless, he lived his life and shared his talents, intellects and leadership. That's not to say that residual impacts of those discriminatory patterns have disappeared. I am left with a sense of loss of the ways in which his life might have further enriched all of us, cementing him within our culture for all time. This book is so thorough and powerful that I feel my hope restored, imagining that the life of Robeson will rise in public awareness and, just possibly, elevate him to the honors and cultural appreciation he deserves in the generations to come. His life is a legacy and deserves to be appreciated by all of us.
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