Paul Robeson: Tribute to an Artist

"Most importantly, however, were the questions raised by the State Department as to my political opinions. Here is a question of whether one who wants to sing and act can have, as a citizen, political opinions. And, in attacking me, they suggested that when I was abroad, I spoke out against injustices to the Negro people in the United States. I certainly did. And the Supreme Court Justice just ruled, Judge Warren in the segregation cases, that world opinion had a lot to do with that ruling, that our children, negro children, can go to school like anybody else in the South. I'm very proud to have been a part of directing world opinion to precisely that condition."

I had goosebumps while watching much of this documentary short about Paul Robeson. It honors his life and his activism, and for that I give it a lot of credit. To hear him speak about his approach to playing Othello, to hear him sing 'Old Man River,' and to see his courage in the face of conservative backlash was inspiring. He was exceptionally intelligent and talented, and it's a shame that somewhat like Josephine Baker, he often had to leave America to be truly embraced.

As both a black man and a progressive to the point of strong communist sympathies, Robeson got a double dose of hatred upon returning to his country ("Go back to Russia, you n-word!"). The film broaches this but it was certainly a light treatment of the subject, steering clear of Robeson's actual beliefs, other than those involving Civil Rights. I think in that regard, it falls short, and perhaps it's because it was made when the Cold War was still active.

Regardless, to not comment at all on his anti-imperialist, pro-Union views, to not mention his outright praise of Stalin (argh) or his trips to the Soviet Union ("Here I am not a Negro but a human being for the first time in my life. I walk in full human dignity"), or include his stirring testimony in front of the HUAC was a mistake. Replying to Gordon Scherer, Republican Congressman from Ohio who asked him why he didn't stay in Russia, he said this: "Because my father was a slave, and my people died to build this country and I am going to stay here and have a part of it just like you. And no fascist-minded people will drive me from it. Is that clear?" I mean, god damn, I love this man. I would love to someday see a full-length documentary or dramatization of his life, but am happy for the little sample this film provided.