Date: Sun, 2 May 1999 14:24:25 -0500 (CDT)
From: june_gene@my-dejanews.com
Subject: Paul Robeson and a children's summer camp
Organization: Deja News - The Leader in Internet Discussion
Article: 62891
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Message-ID: <bulk.14505.19990503121631@chumbly.math.missouri.edu>

Paul Robeson and a children's summer camp

By june_gene@my-dejanews.com, 2 May 1999

Hi,

We're new to deja and in a search through its database we find Paul Robeson discussed in several forums. We would like to add just a small item, but it illuminates an unknown area in the astonishing life of the great renaissance man.

Paul Robeson was nowhere more a hero than at a summer camp in New Jersey, an interracial camp, a WOrker's CHIldren's CAmp, Wo-Chi-Ca. At Camp Wo-Chi-Ca Paul played ball with the kids, watched them perform skits about his life, ate with them in the mess hall, and sang to them in a theatre called the Paul Robeson Playhouse. This large quonset hut with stone ampitheatre was built by the campers and counselors and named after their hero.

Paul served on Wo-Chi-Ca's Board of Trustees. He gave benefit concerts in the city to raise money for the kids in the country. When he arrived at Camp it was a great holiday with huge banners proclaiming WELCOME PAUL!

Are there any people reading this who remember all that? Were you at Wo-Chi-Ca? Please contact us. We're organizing a reunion and writing a book about that magical place, that wonderful Wo-Chi-Ca.