Paul Robeson refused to leave his Somersville, N.J., elementary school despite the constant pushing from the school's principal.
As one of five black children, Robeson stayed in school and later succeeded by receiving a four-year scholarship to Rutgers University in 1913.
Robeson, the son of a runaway slave, was one of only three black students, played four varsity sports and was valedictorian of his graduating class in college. He continued on with his education at Columbia Law School and later played professional football while working as an attorney in an all-white Manhattan, N.Y., law firm.
After quitting his job because of discrimination, Robeson became a professional performer on stages across the globe as well as a political rights activist for minorities around the world.
"Just as my father refused to remain a slave, he taught us that the Negro was in every way equal to the white man," Stogie Kenyatta said during his performance as Robeson Thursday night.
Kenyatta, a theatrical performer and screenwriter, told Ball State students about Robeson's life in a 90-minute, one-man show, "The World is My Home: The Life and Times of Paul Robeson," in the L.A. Pittenger Student Center's Tally. Alpha Phi Alpha sponsored the performance as a part of black history month.
Jamie Wright, junior and member of Alpha Phi Alpha, said the fraternity wanted to bring Kenyatta to Ball State to share black history as well as to inspire others by telling Robeson's story.
"He took me on a roller coaster," Wright said. "He made me feel like I grew up with Paul Robeson."
Students gave a standing ovation to Kenyatta after his performance.
"I believe it was well-rounded with multiple emotions being felt by the audience through out the play," junior Kent Roberson said.
Roberson said he was surprised to learn a black man such as Robeson attended college and law school, played professional sports and acted on stage across the globe in the early 1900s.
"You can laugh, cry, feel and leave actually learning something," Kenyatta said
Robeson is not as well known as he should be, Kenyatta said, but hopefully his effort with this production will change all that.
"It's a real privilege for me to help spread his legacy," Kenyatta said. "His achievement is monumental, and he had an insight and outlook that everyone was his brother. The world just wasn't ready for him."
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