TEACHER’S GUIDE Paul Robeson Written by Eloise Greenfield, Illustrated by George Ford About the Book SYNOPSIS Reading Level: Grade 4 Winner of the 1976 Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor and Jane Addams Children’s Book Award, this biography tells the story Interest Level: Grades 3–6 of Paul Robeson, who overcame racial discrimination to become an Guided Reading Level: Q international entertainer and civil rights activist. Accelerated Reader® Paul Robeson was born on April 9, 1898. The son of a pastor, Paul Level/Points: 5.1/1.0 learned from his father to love written and spoken words, to be proud of being black, and to stand up for what he believed was Lexile™ Measure: 810L right. These were the things that guided Paul throughout his life. *Reading level based on the After achieving academic and athletic success in both high school Spache Readability Formula and college, Paul gained fame as a singer and actor. His talent and Themes: African American his deep, rich voice won him admirers and fans worldwide. But as he History, Performing Arts, traveled the globe for performances, Paul became disturbed by the poverty and injustices that he saw. In the 1940s and 1950s he began Theater, Perseverance/ speaking out. He fought for freedom. At that time, such activism Overcoming Obstacles, was not tolerated. Paul Robeson came to be considered an enemy Dreams and Aspirations, of the United States government. Discrimination, Biography, With dignity and a dynamic spirit, Paul Robeson—athlete, actor, Nonfiction, United States singer, and civil rights activist—stayed true to himself and took a History, African American stand for his beliefs. In a beautifully updated edition of this award- Interest, Activism winning biography, a new generation of readers will be introduced to this courageous man. The introduction and afterword by author focuses on Robeson’s legacy. Teacher’s Guide copyright © 2018 LEE & LOW BOOKS. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share and adapt for personal and educational use. For questions, comments, and/or more information, please contact us at [email protected]. Visit us online at leeandlow.com. 1 Paul Robeson BACKGROUND Rutgers football hero, he was made a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. In February 1998, From the author: The name Paul Robeson brings he was named the winner of a Grammy Lifetime back wonderful memories from my childhood in Achievement Award for his music. And throughout the 1930s and 1940s. I remember hearing him sing. that year, people across the United States and the I heard him on the radio, not on television, because world celebrated Paul Robeson’s one-hundredth there was no television then. I loved his voice. It birthday. In 2004, the United States Postal Service was low, very low, and had just the right amount of issued, as part of its Black Heritage series, a first- trembling, not too much and not too little. He sang class Paul Robeson postage stamp. Paul Robeson as if he really meant the words of the songs. Paul lived and sang a purposeful life. The people of the Robeson was very famous, and many people loved world are fortunate that, because of recordings, him. They loved his singing and acting, and they we can still hear the power, the richness, and the admired him for the things he said in speeches. His beauty of his voice. –Eloise Greenfield, author of admirers were not happy when, in the late 1940s, Paul Robeson some people made trouble for him and kept him from performing. That trouble is a part of the story Prereading Focus Questions this book will tell. It will also tell of Paul Robeson’s (Reading Standards, Craft & Structure, Strand 5 and Integration of courage and his desire to help people all over Knowledge & Ideas, Strand 7) the world. A large part of this story is about the Before introducing the book to students, you boy, Paul, and his growing-up years. Family was may wish to develop background knowledge and important to him and helped him to develop his promote anticipation by posing questions such as talents. Family, friends, and neighbors also helped the following: him to recover from a great loss he suffered when he was very young. Paul Robeson grew up to be a 1. Take a look at the front and back covers. man the world will never forget. I hope you enjoy Take a picture walk. Ask students to make a meeting him. –Eloise Greenfield, author ofPaul prediction. Do you think this book will be fiction Robeson or nonfiction? What makes you think so? From the Afterword: In April 1973, almost three 2. What does a performer do? What are some years before the death of Paul Robeson, a seventy- types of performances with which you are fifth birthday celebration was held for him at familiar (movies, plays, musicals, concerts)? Carnegie Hall in New York City. Twenty famous Have you ever seen or been in a performance? stars performed in front of a large audience. Paul Share a memory you have of going to a play or was too sick to attend. His son went in his place. movie. Paul, Jr., was as close to his father as Paul Robeson 3. What is persistence? Share a time you had been to his. Since Paul Robeson’s death, much demonstrated persistence. What was your has been written about him—plays and films goal? What challenges did you face? Who that dramatize his life, newspaper and magazine helped you along the way in achieving your articles, and books. Countless honors have been goal? How did you stay motivated? given in memory of his contributions. In 1995, more than seventy-five years after Paul was the Teacher’s Guide copyright © 2018 LEE & LOW BOOKS. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share and adapt for personal and educational use. For 2 questions, comments, and/or more information, please contact us at [email protected]. Visit us online at leeandlow.com. Paul Robeson 4. What are human rights? What human rights issues do you think are important today? VOCABULARY (Language Standards, Vocabulary Acquisition & Use, Strands 4–6) 5. What is an activist? What characteristics does The story contains several content- an activist need to be successful? Who are some current and historical activists? specific and academic words that may be unfamiliar to students. Based on 6. What is your definition of courage? How do you think people can make a difference? How students’ prior knowledge, review would you go about addressing a wrong? some or all of the vocabulary below. Encourage a variety of strategies to 7. What do you know about the Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights Movement support students’ vocabulary acquisition: of the 1960s? What were the social, political, look up and record word definitions from or economic conditions of African Americans a dictionary, write the meaning of the during each of these times? word or phrase in their own words, draw 8. Why do you think I chose this book for us to a picture of the meaning of the word, read today? create a specific action for each word, Exploring the Book list synonyms and antonyms, and write a (Reading Standards, Key Ideas & Details, Strand 1, Craft & Structure, meaningful sentence that demonstrates Strand 5, and Integration of Knowledge & Ideas, Strand 7) the definition of the word. Read and talk about the title of the book. Ask students what they think this book will most likely CONTENT SPECIFIC be about and who the book might be about. What situations and places might be talked about in plantation, North Carolina, Princeton, the text? What do you think might happen? What parsonage, coal furnace, carriage, information do you think you might learn? What checkers, pastor, reverend, glee club, makes you think that? Othello, Rutgers University, with honors, Take students on a book walk and draw attention scholarship, cleats, touchdown, New York to the following parts of the book: front and back covers, title page, note from the author at the City, minister, Harlem, spirituals, England, beginning, afterword, and author’s sources. black freedom, communist, Congress Setting a Purpose for Reading ACADEMIC (Reading Standards, Key Ideas & Details, Strands 1–3) enslaved, hard blow, admired, tragic, Have students read to find out who Paul Robeson is, what and who inspires Paul Robeson to pursue sprained, disappointed, throbbing, human rights activism, about the obstacles he concerts citizens, fairly, government, faces, and how he overcomes these obstacles. protest, heritage Teacher’s Guide copyright © 2018 LEE & LOW BOOKS. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share and adapt for personal and educational use. For questions, comments, and/or more information, please contact us at [email protected]. Visit us online at leeandlow.com. 3 Paul Robeson 2. What does Paul’s father think of Paul’s plans Awards and honors Paul Robeson to become a lawyer, instead of a minister? Why has received are: does he think this? Why might Paul’s father think preaching is a better goal for Paul than his dream to be a lawyer? • Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor, American Library 3. How does Paul’s father influence his beliefs and Association (ALA) the person he becomes? • Jane Addams Children's Book 4. How does Paul Robeson like to spend his time Award, Jane Addams Peace as a child? In a Venn diagram, compare Paul’s Association activities with the pastime activities of children • Best Children's Books of the Year: today. Outstanding Merit, Bank Street College of Education 5. What aspects of performing are interesting and exciting to Paul? What characteristics of acting, singing, theater, and the stage are appealing to him? Compare the influence of the stage to the Encourage students to consider why the author, pulpit.