(78 days). Open-pollinated indeterminate; medium-sized heirloom; reddish ochre; 6 - 12 oz. “This Russian heirloom was named in honor of Paul Robeson (1898-1976) who befriended the Soviet Union. Had he lived at adifferent time, Robeson might have become our first black President. Athlete (15 varsity letters at Rutgers!), actor (played Othello in the longest-running Shakespearean production in Broadway history), singer, orator, cultural scholar and linguist (fluent in at least 15 languages), Robeson was an outspoken crusader for racial equality and social justice. Revered by the left, reviled by the right, he was blacklisted during the McCarthy Era and beyond, harassed by the FBI, his passport revoked for eight years, his career stifled. He suffered a succession of nervous breakdowns and died broken and almost forgotten, his life a testament to lost opportunities in twentieth-century American history. His namesake tomato has developed almost a cult following among seed savers. The maroon-brick 6–12 oz. oblate often bi-lobed fruits with dark green shoulders claim their own distinctive sweet smoky taste.” Paul Robeson, a new entry for us in 2010, won over a high percentage of tasters at our TomatoTaste-Off. It also revealed that one of our more colorful customers had indelible memories of hearing Paul Robeson sing, she a mere 5-year-old at the time, in her parents' NYC apartment; Robeson was opening a meeting of the local Communist Party.