The award will be presented to Grant at the Oct. 9, 2009, General Membership Meeting at the union's headquarters in New York City.

Now in its 35th year, The Paul Robeson Award was first presented in 1974 to recognize a person who best exemplified the principles by which Robeson lived. Past recipients include Sidney Poitier, Lloyd Richards, Judith Jamison, Carl Harms, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee.

Grant began her theatrical career with the Center Aisle Players. Her stage credits include her star turn in Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope; Langston Hughes' Tambourines to Glory, which marked her Broadway debut; as Sadie Delaney in the tour of Having Our Say; and regional productions of the Cradle Will Rock, Brecht on Brecht and To Be Young, Gifted and Black. Grant was the first African-American contract player on a daytime TV soap, playing attorney Peggy Nolan for seven years on "Another World." Other television credits include "The Edge of Night" and "Guiding Light."

For Don't Bother Me, she was nominated for Tony Awards for book, music and lyrics. She won the Outer Critics Circle Awards (for score and performance) and the Drama Desk Award (for lyrics and performance). She was also Tony-nominated for her contributions to Working.

Grant has received the ad industry's CLIO Award for her commercial jingles.

Actors' Equity Association founded in 1913, represents more than 48,000 Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. Equity seeks to advance, promote and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society.