''The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace'' is a biography by Jeff Hobbs about an intellectually brilliant young African-American man, Robert DeShaun Peace (June 25, 1980 – May 18, 2011), who left
Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.Yale University
Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...
, but fell back into the streets when he returned to Newark and was murdered, aged 30, "face down, knees bent", in a drug-related shooting.
Early life
Born to Jackie Peace and Robert Douglas, Robert Peace grew up in
East Orange, New Jersey
East Orange is a City (New Jersey), city in Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 69,612. The city was List of municipalities in ...
, which borders
Newark
Newark most commonly refers to:
* Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States
* Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area
Newark may also refer to:
Places Canada
* Niagara-on-the ...
. His parents didn't live together, and his father sold drugs. Rob's father was involved in his son's life, but Rob lived with his mother and her family. His mother worked long hours at low-paying jobs and sacrificed to send Peace to
St. Benedict's Preparatory School
St. Benedict's Preparatory School is a Catholic college preparatory school in Newark, New Jersey run by the Benedictines.
The school serves boys and girls in kindergarten through twelfth grade on a urban campus. The school has been accredite ...
, a private middle and high school. When Rob was seven, his father was arrested and charged with murder, convicted, and sent to prison. Rob visited him often in prison until his father's death there, when Rob was in his mid-20s.
Yale University
After high school, Peace was sponsored by
Charles Cawley
Charles Michael Cawley (August 15, 1940 – November 18, 2015) was a businessman and founding member of the bank MBNA. Born in Massachusetts, he was raised in New Jersey, was educated at Saint Benedict's Preparatory School and was a graduate of G ...
, a bank executive, to attend
Yale University
Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...
, where he majored in
molecular biophysics
Molecular biophysics is a rapidly evolving interdisciplinary area of research that combines concepts in physics, chemistry, engineering, mathematics and biology. It seeks to understand biomolecular systems and explain biological function in terms ...
and
biochemistry
Biochemistry or biological chemistry is the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. A sub-discipline of both chemistry and biology, biochemistry may be divided into three fields: structural biology, enzymology and ...
, and worked in a cancer and infectious disease laboratory. While at Yale, Peace earned over $100,000 selling marijuana. Peace graduated in 2002, with honors. One of his roommates was Jeff Hobbs, the author of Peace's biography.
''Rob Peace'' (film)
A film adaptation of Peace's story is currently filming in
Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.Rob Peace'' is written and directed by
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Chiwetel Umeadi Ejiofor ( ; born 10 July 1977) is a British actor. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a BAFTA Award, a Laurence Olivier Award, an NAACP Image Award, and nominations for an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy A ...
with a cast including Ejiofor,
Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the " Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and " Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Award ...
After graduation from Yale, Peace taught biology for four years at the Catholic high school he had attended even as he expanded his marijuana marketing and personal use of marijuana, alcohol and possibly other drugs. He then worked for low wages at a major airline and traveled often.
Awards
* Runner up for the 2015
Dayton Literary Peace Prize
The Dayton Literary Peace Prize is an annual United States literary award "recognizing the power of the written word to promote peace" that was first awarded in 2006. Awards are given for adult fiction and non-fiction books published at some point ...
for Nonfiction
*
Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Current Interest
The ''Los Angeles Times'' Book Prize for Current Interest, established in 1980, is a category of the ''Los Angeles Times'' Book Prize. Works are eligible during the year of their first US publication in English, though they may be written origina ...