Paul Robeson Award
Latest Recipients:
We are pleased to announce honorees for 2021-2023. Although delayed by the pandemic, it is important to recognize the outstanding work done by theater artists during this time.
2023 - The Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City
2022 - Pearl Cleage
2021 - Dale Ricardo Shields
Full details can be found in this press release.
Previous recipients of the Paul Robeson Award include: Paul Robeson; Maya Angelou; Harry Belafonte; Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee; James Earl Jones; Athol Fugard; Lena Horne; Joseph Papp; Sidney Poitier; Pete Seeger; and, in 2014, Baayork Lee.
Past Recipients: 1989-Present
| Year | Recipient |
| 2023 | The Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City |
| 2022 | Pearl Cleage |
| 2021 | Dale Ricardo Shields |
| 2019-20 | Carmen Morgan and Futaba Shioda |
| 2018 | Independent Shakespeare Co. |
| 2017 | Jamal Joseph |
| 2016 | Mary-Mitchell Campbell |
| 2015 | Arthur French |
| 2014 | Baayork Lee |
| 2013 | Shauneille Perry |
| 2012 | William Greaves |
| 2011 | James Earl Jones |
| 2010 | Charles Randolph-Wright |
| 2009 | Micki Grant |
| 2008 | Sidney Poitier |
| 2007 | Mercedes Ellington |
| 2006 | Bill Cosby- Rescinded |
| 2005 | Carl Harms |
| 2004 | Judith Jamison |
| 2003 | Woodie King, Jr. |
| 2002 | Gertrude Jeanette |
| 2001 | Brock Peters |
| 2000 | Rosa LeNoire |
| 1999 | Loften Mitchell |
| 1998 | Leonard Etienne de Paul |
| 1997 | Athol Fugard |
| 1996 | George C. Wolfe |
| 1995 | Gil Noble |
| 1994 | Lloyd Richards |
| 1993 | Katherine Dunham |
| 1992 | Art D'Lugoff |
| 1991 | Gordon Parks |
| 1990 | Maya Angelou |
| 1989 | Bill Ross & Dr. Margaret Burroughs |
| 1988 | Jacques D'Amboise |
| 1987 | Joe Papp |
| 1986 | Vinie Burrows |
| 1985 | Arthur Mitchell |
| 1984 | Lena Horne |
| 1983 | John Henry Faulk |
| 1982 | Ed Asner |
| 1981 | Studs Terkel |
| 1980 | Alice Childress |
| 1979 | Harry Bellafonte |
| 1978 | Sam Jaffe |
| 1977 | Pete Seeger |
| 1976 | Lillian Hellman |
| 1975 | Ossie Davis & Ruby Dee |
| 1974 | Paul Robeson |