---
title: Paul Robeson - Actor, Artist, Athlete
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/owi-alston-paul-robeson-actor-artist-athlete-1943/
description: 'A pencil biographical panel shows a large portrait of Paul Robeson with four small vignettes: a football player, Robeson in costume as Emperor Jones.'
section: Collection
---

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3. Paul Robeson - Actor, Artist, Athlete

[![Paul Robeson - Actor, Artist, Athlete, 1943 US cartoon: A pencil biographical panel shows a large portrait of Paul Robeson](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/owi-alston-paul-robeson-actor-artist-athlete-1943.jpg)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/images/owi-alston-paul-robeson-actor-artist-athlete-1943.jpg)

# Paul Robeson - Actor, Artist, Athlete

A pencil biographical panel shows a large portrait of Paul Robeson with four small vignettes: a football player, Robeson in costume as Emperor Jones, and Robeson singing at a microphone before servicemen and civilians. Captions list his athletic, academic and stage achievements and say he now sings at bond rallies and for the armed forces. The technique is testimonial: a famous figure is presented as lending his name and talent to the war effort.

## Propaganda techniques used in this cartoon

[Testimonial](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/testimonial/) [Glittering generalities](https://propagandaarchive.org/techniques/glittering-generalities/)

## Text on the object

Original (English) · read from the image, not independently checked

```
PAUL ROBESON
ACTOR, ARTIST, ATHLETE.

LONG BEFORE THE WORLD KNEW HIM AS AN ARTIST, YOUNG ROBESON HAD ACHIEVED FAME AS AN ATHLETE. ONE OF THE GREATEST FOOTBALL PLAYERS OF ALL TIME, HE WAS SELECTED ALL AMERICAN END BY THE LATE WALTER CAMP.

NO "DUMB ATHLETE", PAUL WAS AN HONOR STUDENT, AND PHI BETA KAPPA MAN AT RUTGERS.!

INTERNATIONALLY FAMOUS AS A CONCERT ARTIST, PAUL LOVES TO SING THE SONGS OF THE PEOPLE. ALWAYS IN DEMAND FOR THE STAGE, SCREEN AND RADIO, HE NOW DEVOTES HIS TALENTS TO THE WAR EFFORT, BY SINGING AT BOND RALLIES, AND FOR THE BOYS IN THE ARMED FORCES.

PROBABLY BEST KNOWN FOR HIS BRILLIANT PORTRAYAL OF THE MAD RULER, IN O'NEILL'S "EMPEROR JONES" ROBESON HAS LONG BEEN A GREAT FAVORITE ON THE STAGE AND SCREEN.

[signature] Alston OWI
```

[← Lieut. Col. Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., Air Fighter](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/owi-alston-lt-col-benjamin-davis-jr-air-fighter-1943/) ["Prelude to freedom!!!" (Labor Day 1943) →](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/owi-alston-prelude-to-freedom-labor-day-1943/)

## More propaganda examples that use the same techniques

- [Behistun (Bisotun) rock relief and trilingual inscription of Darius I: the king, two attendants and the bound rebel leaders beneath the winged figure of Ahuramazda](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/behistun-relief-darius-and-rebels-521bce/) (Achaemenid Empire · 0000 · Card stacking, Name-calling, Testimonial). Content note: Shows bound captives before the king, and the inscription records the mutilation and public execution of rebel leaders, as the king's own account.
- [Tomb of Darius I at Naqsh-e Rustam: the king in relief beside his inscription DNa, c. 490 BCE](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/dna-inscription-darius-i-naqsh-e-rustam-490bce/) (Achaemenid Empire · 0000 · Testimonial, Card stacking)
- [Seated limestone statue of Hatshepsut as king, with feminine royal titles on the throne, reassembled from fragments broken up at Deir el-Bahri](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/hatshepsut-seated-statue-limestone-met-1458bce/) (New Kingdom Egypt · 0000 · Transfer, Testimonial)
- [Bronze sestertius of Gaius (Caligula), reverse S P Q R P P OB CIVES SERVATOS in an oak wreath](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/sestertius-caligula-ob-cives-servatos-0037/) (Roman Empire · 0037 · Testimonial, Transfer)
- [Bronze sestertius of Trajan, reverse S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI, S C, the emperor on horseback riding down an enemy](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/sestertius-trajan-optimo-principi-0103/) (Roman Empire · 0103 · Testimonial, Glittering generalities)
- [Seljuq gold dinar of Sanjar, dated 493 AH, with the Abbasid caliph named on one face](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/seljuq-gold-dinar-sanjar-caliph-name-1099/) (Great Seljuk Empire · 1099 · Testimonial)
- [Estoire d'Eracles page with Bernard of Clairvaux preaching the Second Crusade in the initial (Walters W.137, fol. 180v)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/eracles-bernard-preaching-second-crusade-w137-1275/) (France · 1275 · Testimonial)
- [Opening page of the Estoire d'Eracles (William of Tyre in French), with the Crucifixion and Pope Urban II preaching the First Crusade in the initial (Walters W.137, fol. 1r)](https://propagandaarchive.org/collection/eracles-urban-ii-preaching-first-crusade-w137-1275/) (France · 1275 · Testimonial, Transfer)