The 2026 Paul Robeson Peace & Justice Awards Gala is a celebratory that brings together the DC community around shared struggles.
The DC Friends of People's World and the Claudia Jones School for Political Education is organizing a community gathering to celebrate the to honor local leader Elise Bryant with the Paul Robeson Peace & Justice Award. The award was last given to local labor leader and former president of the Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO, Joslyn Williams.
Paul Robeson was a towering figure in the Black freedom movement during the 1930s and 1940s. However, his activism made him a target of McCarthyism in the 1950s. Robeson was an extraordinary athlete, actor, singer, linguist, lawyer, and global activist. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Othello and for his iconic renditions of songs like "Joe Hill" and "Ol' Man River." A mural commemorating Robeson can be found on DC’s historic U Street, and he is also featured in the National Museum of African American History and Culture on the National Mall.
Join them and their community partners to celebrate the fight for a Free DC and for a democratic future with an evening filled with music, celebration, food, and camaraderie!