Paul Robeson was a man for all seasons — athlete, scholar, singer, actor and civil rights activist. His talent and wide range of accomplishments won him world acclaim.

Next year the U.S. Postal Service will hail Robeson with a new stamp — he’ll be the 2004 honoree in the Black Heritage series. The new stamp was unveiled at special ceremonies at the Columbia University Center for Contemporary Black History.

Paul Leroy Bustill Robeson was born on April 9, 1898, in Princeton, N.J. His father was a runaway slave who became a pastor and encouraged his son to rise above the fray — and he did with much determination and desire.

He received a scholarship to Rutgers University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in his junior year and became valedictorian in his senior year.

Robeson obtained a position in a New York law firm but left to devote himself to the theater. He won acclaim for his performance in the Broadway production of “Show Boat” and his singing of “Ol’ Man River.” Further worldwide plaudits came for his artistry in Shakespeare’s “Othello.”

Robeson will be remembered for his tireless and unwavering commitment to civil rights and social justice. He died in January 1976 at the age of 77.