An Artistic Celebration of Paul Robeson’s Legacy

Rutgers fans had their first chance to see a new mural depicting the many facets of the life of iconic Rutgers alumnus Paul Robeson during the Scarlet Knights homecoming football game.

Painted by Rutgers alumnus Alonzo Adams, the mural, which measures 24 feet wide by 8 feet high, graces a wall behind student seating in SHI Stadium in Piscataway. That mural is a reproduction of an original painting by Adams, which measures 12 feet by 4 feet. Plans are underway to display the original painting at Rutgers as well.

 At a reception before the game, Susan Robeson, Paul Robeson’s granddaughter, said she hopes the mural will educate future generations about her grandfather’s legacy and inspire others to be vocal in support of worthy causes. “For me, the most important thing is our responsibility is to live his legacy—celebrate it, lift it up,” she said. “Our responsibility is to live with the legacy every day. You can never do enough because every generation forgets unless we teach and show by our example.”

The initiative for the Robeson tribute at SHI Stadium originated with Jim Savage, president of the Class of 1971, and ultimately involved a joint effort across the university that brought together a vast coalition: Rutgers Athletics, the Rutgers University Foundation, the Rutgers University Alumni Association, the Rutgers Alumni Association, the Rutgers Class of 1971, Ubuntu Cultural Pavilion (based in Somerville, New Jersey), the Rutgers African-American Alumni Alliance, Douglass alumnae, and the Blacks on the Banks Legacy Circle.

Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway said the mural is “a manifestation of the recognition long overdue” for Robeson. 

“It’s difficult, perhaps impossible, to summarize Paul Robeson’s legacy,” Holloway said to guests gathered at the reception. “His legacy is best viewed in the context of our values. And at Rutgers, values matter. Everything we do, everything we set out to achieve, stems from our values. We are committed to expanding access to academic excellence, we're committed to building our community, and we're committed to working for the common good.”

For more about the mural and the artist, watch the video “The Paul Robeson Mural: Alonzo Adams's Brush with Greatness” and read a feature article  and the Rutgers Athletics press release.