My mother was born in your state, Mr. Walter, and my mother was a Quaker, and my ancestors in the time of Washington baked bread for George Washington’s troops when they crossed the Delaware, and my own father was a slave.

Meaning of the quote

This quote is about Paul Robeson's family history. His mother was born in the same state as Mr. Walter, and she was a Quaker. During the American Revolution, Robeson's ancestors baked bread for the soldiers of George Washington's army when they crossed the Delaware River. Robeson also mentions that his own father was a slave.

About Paul Robeson

Paul Robeson was an accomplished American artist who excelled in various fields, including music, acting, and athletics. Despite facing political scrutiny, he remained a vocal advocate for civil rights and social justice causes throughout his career.

More about the author

More quotes from Paul Robeson

And, gentlemen, they have not yet done so, and it is quite clear that no Americans, no people in the world probably, are going to war with the Soviet Union.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)

And at home in the United States we found continued and increased persecution, first of leaders of the Communist Party, and then of all honest anti-fascists.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)

We must join with the tens of millions all over the world who see in peace our most sacred responsibility.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)

In fact, because of this deep desire for peace, the ruling class leaders of this land, from 1945 on, stepped up the hysteria and propaganda to drive into American minds the false notion that danger threatened them from the East.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)

I said it was my feeling that the American people would struggle for peace, and that has since been underscored by the President of these United States.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)

The Korean war has always been an unpopular war among the American people.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)

As an artist I come to sing, but as a citizen, I will always speak for peace, and no one can silence me in this.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)

I do not hesitate one second to state clearly and unmistakably: I belong to the American resistance movement which fights against American imperialism, just as the resistance movement fought against Hitler.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)

At every step the vast majority have expressed horror at the idea of an aggressive war.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)

But the deep desire for peace remained with the American people.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)

I know that if the peace movement takes its message boldly to the Negro people a powerful force can be secured in pursuit of the greatest goal of all mankind. And the same is true of labor and the great democratic sections of our population.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)

My mother was born in your state, Mr. Walter, and my mother was a Quaker, and my ancestors in the time of Washington baked bread for George Washington’s troops when they crossed the Delaware, and my own father was a slave.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)

I did a long concert tour in England and Denmark and Sweden, and I also sang for the Soviet people, one of the finest musical audiences in the world.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)

Through the years I have received my share of recognition for efforts in the fields of sports, the arts, the struggle for full citizenship for the Negro people, labor’s rights and the fight for peace.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)

Four hundred million in India, and millions everywhere, have told you, precisely, that the colored people are not going to die for anybody: they are going to die for their independence.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)

This United States Government should go down to Mississippi and protect my people. That is what should happen.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)

Could I say that the reason that I am here today, you know, from the mouth of the State Department itself, is: I should not be allowed to travel because I have struggled for years for the independence of the colonial peoples of Africa.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)

In Russia I felt for the first time like a full human being. No color prejudice like in Mississippi, no color prejudice like in Washington. It was the first time I felt like a human being.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)

This is the basis, and I am not being tried for whether I am a Communist, I am being tried for fighting for the rights of my people, who are still second-class citizens in this United States of America.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)

Like any other people, like fathers, mothers, sons and daughters in every land, when the issue of peace or war has been put squarely to the American people, they have registered for peace.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)

The other reason that I am here today, again from the State Department and from the court record of the court of appeals, is that when I am abroad I speak out against the injustices against the Negro people of this land.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)

You want to shut up every Negro who has the courage to stand up and fight for the rights of his people, for the rights of workers, and I have been on many a picket line for the steelworkers too.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)

Yes, peace can and must be won, to save the world from the terrible destruction of World War III.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)

Why should the Negroes ever fight against the only nations of the world where racial discrimination is prohibited, and where the people can live freely? Never! I can assure you, they will never fight against either the Soviet Union or the peoples’ democracies.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)

You know I am an actor, and I have medals for diction.

Paul Robeson

American singer, actor, and political activist (1898-1976)