This petition was submitted by Morgan Paulett, having collected a total of 404 signatures.

Text of Petition:                     

Paul Robeson was an African-American singer & actor who came to have a love for Wales & its mining communities. He supported Welsh miners with proceeds from his concerts to their striking relief fund & toured Wales, singing in Cardiff, Neath & elsewhere to raise funds for miners.

Whilst he was subject to segregation in the U.S., he described the reception he received in Wales as warm beyond "all bounds", and said that Welsh mining communities had "shaped" his life.

Additional Information:

Paul Robeson, during his life, showed incredible solidarity for Welsh mining communities in the Valleys.

From his starring role in 'The Proud Valley', a film that he would call his most cherished, to his raising money for striking Welsh miners through his singing, to his being invited to perform for the Welsh Miners' Eisteddfod in 1957 (but being unable to because of the United States' Government confiscation of his passport), Robeson is someone who was prized amongst the Welsh population during his time, & should be prized as such posthumously.

Robeson even learned some Welsh in order to sing to miners in their language!

The support he gave for Welsh mining communities in his life, the love he received from the Welsh people & the returned solidarity from Welsh miners whilst he was being interrogated by the House Un-American Activities Committee & forbidden from travelling abroad mean he has a uniquely special and exceptional place in Welsh history, & should be honoured as such.

Status

This petition was considered completed by the Petitions Committee at its meeting on 29/11/2021.

The Committee noted that the Deputy Minister has made the Welsh Government’s position clear, which has been accepted by the petitioner and agreed to close the petition and thank the petitioner.

In addition to closing the petition, the Committee asked the clerking team to provide the petitioner with information produced by the research service regarding seeking funding for the statue and wish him every success.

Full details of the consideration of this petition by the Committee and related documents can be seen on the Meetings tab above.

It was first considered by the Petitions Committee on 29/11/2021.

Senedd Constituency and Region

• Caerphilly
• South Wales East

Further information

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