George Palmer with Prime Minister Walter Nash, Paul Robeson & Eleanor Roosevelt, c. 1942
Image by Archives New Zealand
Celebrated American bass baritone singer and actor Paul Robeson was born on 9 April 1898, and died 23 January 1976. He is remembered not only for his artistic talents (Ol’ Man River, Showboat, Othello), but also his commitment to civil rights and activism.
The son of a former slave, Robeson rose to fame during the era of segregation, when lynching was still a regular occurrence. Robeson’s anti-racist, anti-facist and pro-Soviet views drew the ire of McCarthyism which resulted in his US passport being revoked in 1950. After many years of campaigning it was reinstated which allowed Robeson to travel internationally, including an Australasian tour in 1960.
Robeson is shown above on a panel discussion alongside Walter Nash, then New Zealand’s Minister to the US and later Prime Minister. This photograph captures the inauguration of the "Answering New Zealand" radio programmes, aired by The Voice of America c.1942. Featuring various distinguished New Zealanders and Americans, the guests answered questions about the United States that had been sent in by New Zealanders. It comes from the Sir Walter Nash Collection of photographs (see the full series here: collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search#/item/aims-….
Seated before the microphones (left to right) were David Jenkins, a young New Zealander who was working in the US and who asked the questions on behalf of the listeners; Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, then America’s First Lady; Paul Robeson, great American actor and singer; Mr. Deems Taylor, distinguished American music critic and author; Hon. Walter Nash, New Zealand’s Minister to the US and later Prime Minister; and Mr. George Palmer, the Superintendent in charge of maintaining the Statue of Liberty.
Archives reference: AEFZ 22625 W5727 NASH1 Box 2596/ 3102/0018
collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search#/?q=R23696388
Caption information from National Archives, USA: www.archives.gov/education/lessons/robeson
For more information listen to this Radio New Zealand programme, which includes Robeson in his own voice speaking and singing at the Addington Railway Workshop: www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/spectrum/audio/2016…
Material from Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga
