The image of Paul Robeson - Role model for the student and athlete

This paper examines the life of Paul Robeson as a scholar-athlete, law stud ent and professional football player. The themes of Robeson as an ultimate image of labour and leisure will be linked to the contemporary paradigm in education, race and sports. This context of youth (especially black male yo uth) and their career aspirations will intersect with popular culture, repr esentation and intercollegiate athletics. It will be argued in this paper t hat Paul Robeson was exemplary of the benefits of a well-rounded and balanc ed life of academics and athletics. Today, the paradigm of the black athlet ic hero is one of material consumption and scholar-athleticism is limited i n media representations, as well as institutionally neglected contemporary intercollegiate structure.