. Blacks, most of whom were employed as domestics and laborers, had modest homes in the western section of Princeton. Robeson's father was a highly respected pastor of a black congregation. A college-educated man, and the victim of blatant racial injustice himself, the Reverend Robeson refused to indulge in reverse racism and instilled this principle in his son: "He had taught him to reject the automatic assumption that all whites are malignant, to react to individuals, not to a hostile white mass" (Duberman 18). His father's principles of racial tolerance served young Robeson well throughout his academic career and beyond. Robeson first attended the all-black Jamison School. Eventually he landed in Somerville High, a largely white school. At Somerville, Robeson was featured in his first production of Shakespeare's Othello. He also participated in various sports and extracurricular activities. Robeson was a brilliant student, academically and athletically, a fact that served as an affront to white supremacists: "Robeson's natural talents were so exceptional that he had to make a proportionately large effort in order to forestall resentment in others" (Duberman 15). As early as high school, Robeson demonstrated his ability to thrive under difficult circumstances.
For college, Robeson chose Rutgers University. Rutgers was an all-white school, and fiercely competitive. By his junior year, Robeson was elected to the honor society, Phi Beta Kappa. He also was a debating champion and joined the glee club. In addition, Robeson also played football, and was twice named to the All-American football team. However, there were still some incidents of racism involving other teams, particularly those from Southern states. At graduation, Robeson was chosen as class valedictorian. By this time, he was beginning to develop his ideas about blacks and discrimination in America. The title of his valedictorian speech was "The New Id...