House Newsletter

MARCH - APRIL 2019 VOLUME 4, ISSUE 5

Spring Programs CALENDAR DIRECTOR’S CORNER

Paul Robeson Exhibit: Up Close ~~~~~~ Dear Friends and Supporters: The and Personal. Visit newly curated West Cultural exhibit, including a dedicated “Nurturing a Queer Self Love.” Alliance/Paul Robeson House thrives photo display of Eslanda Goode Abdul-Aliy Muhammad and Rhone because of people like you who Robeson. Tours Thurs-Sat. 10-4. Fraser present a public reading of believe in our efforts to continue his Call for an appointment 215-747- their two newly self-published 4675. books: “A Flower Left to Wilt” and legacy. As the full-time volunteer and “Pauline Hopkins and Advocacy executive consultant for the house, I Mission Statement Poetry Journalism,” Saturday, Mar. 16, have joined with a friend to kick off Group meets last Sunday of each 3 pm. $5 suggested donation. our fund-raising campaign. We are month, 5 pm – 7 pm. seeking funds to pay off the mortgage “Here's My Story" Book Talk with and make repairs to the adjoining PRH Chess Club Openings Bryan Washington, author of "Lot." administrative building. We are doing Thursday, March 28, 4 pm-6 pm at Available. Day/Time TBA. (See this in honor of Frances Aulston, who Paul Robeson House & Museum. page 2 Calendar for dates.) was the heart and soul of the WPCA “Here's My Story" was the title of and the house. Please support us with Paul Robeson's monthly column for Black Women Writing Now© a contribution of $10 to $10,000 to his Harlem newspaper Freedom. “Telling Our Stories” our Plumfund account. Thank you. Seating is limited. Intergenerational Writing Group https://www.plumfund.com/charity- st rd ~~~~~~ 1 /3 Mondays 4pm – 6pm. fundraising/paulrobesonhouse (Restarting April 1) COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS Eslanda Goode Robeson Research & Study Group Robeson Readers Book Group discussion: “Looking for Lorraine” by 3rd Saturdays, 4 pm - 6 pm. Imani Perry, Sunday, Apr. 3, 2 pm- 4 pm at the Lucien E. Blackwell Library, 125 S. 52 Street. For further info, contact Aura Townsend at VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! [email protected]. Financial interest and skills, membership coordinator, proposal Join the Friends of Lucien E. Blackwell Library. Help support our local writing, administrative experience, community library. For information, contact Denise Campbell at fundraising and sponsor development. [email protected].

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September – October 2018 Looking Ahead CALENDAR (cont’d) ANNOUNCEMENTS

Arts in the Parlor WPCA will offer Docent We are seeking talented residents of Training for those wanting to

West Philadelphia and other parts of share the wonderful stories of Paul the city to participate in our “Arts in Robeson with our many visitors. the Parlor” series this spring. The Interested? Contact WPCA at 215- series was inspired by Paul Robeson’s 747-4675. singalongs in the parlor at 4951 Walnut Street when he lived here in the 1960s. We want to replicate the Upcoming visitors: ) joy that Robeson spread through the house by presenting not only singing March 26, Pearl S. Buck House The Paul Robeson Chess Club has and musical performances, but all been traveling to several National (Bucks County). kinds of arts – from sewing to Chess Championships and brought April 6, Paul Robeson Cultural jewelry-making to collecting to cake- home a number of trophies. They Center, . decorating to dancing to poetry and will be playing at the Paul April 13, Schomburg Center for other talents. If you are interested in Research in Black Culture (NY). participating, please contact us at Robeson House on April 10, May

215-747-4675 or email 15, and May 22, 2019 from 5:00 [email protected]. pm to 7:30 pm. If you have a Upcoming events: child interested in chess, join us *** on these dates. Come see some of March 30, 10 am – 3 pm WPCA the trophies and pictures of the will be at the 2019 Northeast Club at their best. Philadelphia History Fair at Cannstatter Volksfest Verein. *** April 9, Paul Robeson's 121st What’s New? birthday.

As many of you know, Vernoca was the Co-Owner of The New T-shirt, buttons, cups on Legendary Blue Horizon for 24 sale. Designed by Pat Gunter. Artist-In-Residence Nile Livingston years and was the First African Call 215-747-4675. at work on GRACE, a tribute to the American Female Boxing legendary Grace Jones, which is now Promoter. The building was sold New Website on exhibit at Mission Tanqueria to Mosaic Development Partners. Paulrobesonhouse.org Thanks to restaurant. In a recent article on It is now going to become a Sherry Howard and Nate Carter. StreetDept.com, Livingston is declared as, “one of the most talented Boutique Hotel. Vernoca has been muralists we currently have in asked to be a consultant on this WPCA Publicist is Sherry Philadelphia.” new and innovative project. Howard and Program Director is Christopher Rogers. West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance/ Paul Robeson House & Museum Electronic Newsletter Design Thanks to Nile Livingston. Address : 4951 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19139 Newsletter Editor Phone: 215-747-4675 Denise Campbell Email: [email protected] Contact [email protected]

Hours: Thurs-Sat., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please send your community events to Denise Campbell, Tours: Guided tours by appointment. Call for fees. [email protected]. www.paulrobesonhouse.org