About

Paul Robeson Commemoration will take place at the Winter Garden on 25th October at 3pm, during Black History Month.

Paul Robeson performed regularly in the Floral Room at the Winter Garden from the late 1920s until 1939. With standing room audiences of 2000 and queues of disappointed fans left outside. With rave reviews in the local papers.

But as well as being a world performing bass baritone singer; an All-American football hero; an accomplished stage and film actor; an Ivy League trained lawyer; and a speaker of multiple languages; he was, of course, the greatest civil rights activist of his time! 

Everywhere he travelled he spoke out for civil rights and working people. He joined workers on strikes, he struck up a lifelong friendship with the poverty-stricken Welsh miners, after he’d heard them singing whilst on their hunger march to London. He visited International Brigaders on the front lines in the Spanish Civil War’s fight against fascism. 

His dedication to the fight against fascism led him to being targeted by the United States government under the McCarthyism regime of intense political repression and anti-communist paranoia during the late 1940s and 1950s.

The Winter Garden commemoration has been especially planned to take place during the Black History Month of October.  Peoples Eastbourne is also promoting a season of Black History Month events across the town, with many events being planned, hosted by community groups and businesses; including poetry, music, art, a quiz, talks, films, a ‘Love Robeson Songs’ evening, and more. The longer aim is for a BHM Annual Festival. A real celebration. 

The commemoration will be the first time that Eastbourne will have celebrated Black History in such a public and lasting way. It is a huge step forward for our town. Brighton and Hove have had decades doing this work. Eastbourne is, only now, about to get started.

The event will see:-  the unveiling of the plaque by Cllr Jenny Williams (Arts and Heritage Champion); Tayo Aluko will perform a mini-set from Call Mr Robeson; guest speakers (to be announced); poets; a Paul Robeson photo and memorabilia display; and display stands from community groups and businesses. The event ends with networking time with a complimentary drink and canapes.