4-08-2024 2:10pm

RVCC Sets Exhibition, Musical Event in Honor of Paul Robeson Week

Donnella Tilery Editor

The Paul Robeson Institute for Ethics, Leadership, and Social Justice at Raritan Valley Community College is sponsoring two events in April in honor of Paul Robeson Week, April 9-14. Both events, which will be held at the College’s Branchburg campus, are free of charge and open to the public.

An exhibition highlighting the life and legacy of Paul Robeson, presented by Ubuntu Cultural Pavilion, will be on view from April 9-12 and April 14. The exhibit, which will feature pictures, books, and displays chronicling Robeson’s life and legacy, will be shown April 9-12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the Paul Robeson Institute Resource Room at the College’s Evelyn S. Field Library. The exhibit also will be on display on April 14, from 1-3 p.m., in the RVCC Theatre lobby.

Based in Central New Jersey, Ubuntu Cultural Pavilion (UCP) is a local community museum working to unearth, affirm, and celebrate the often overlooked and forgotten contributions of the African-American community in Somerville and surrounding areas. The Ubuntu Cultural Pavilion is dedicated to incorporating Somerville as a crucial, though overlooked, element to more precisely chronicle and commemorate the life and legacy of Paul Robeson.

In recognition of Robeson’s incredible talents as a singer and performer, RVCC’s Paul Robeson Institute also will sponsor an afternoon of Broadway selections paying homage to the African-American experience in theater. The show will be held April 14, from 2-3:30 p.m., and will include music from George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess. Presented by the Middlesex County Theatre Guild, the performance will be held in RVCC’s Welpe Theatre.

Middlesex County Theatre Guild envisions a vibrant and inclusive cultural landscape where the transformative power of theater is universally accessible. The Guild aspires to be a beacon of creativity, fostering a community where diverse voices converge, and individuals of all backgrounds can immerse themselves in the enriching and inspiring world of the performing arts.

No advance registration is necessary for either RVCC event. For additional information, contact Rhonda Stewart, Program Specialist, Paul Robeson Institute for Ethics, Leadership, and Social Justice, at rhonda.stewart@raritanval.edu.