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→Communist Party membership: Gus Hall
===Communist Party membership ===
===Communist Party membership ===
Robeson's political statements and activism, including sympathies expressed towards the Soviet Union, [[Lenin]], [[Mao Zedong]], [[Josip Broz Tito]] and [[Joseph Stalin]] were the subject of great controversy in the mass media, in particular rumors (never substantially proven to this day) of membership in the [[Communist Party USA|American Communist Party]]. There is no clear evidence that Robeson ever was a member of the Communist Party.
Robeson's political statements and activism, including sympathies expressed towards the Soviet Union, [[Lenin]], [[Mao Zedong]], [[Josip Broz Tito]] and [[Joseph Stalin]] were the subject of great controversy in the mass media, in particular rumors of membership in the [[Communist Party USA|American Communist Party]].
According to records released under the [[Freedom of Information]] Act, the [[FBI]] believed that Robeson might have joined the Party under the name "John Thomas" but "his Communist Party membership book number is not known." Robeson's biographer, Martin Duberman, concludes that "he was never a member of CPUSA, never a functionary, never a participant in its daily bureaucratic operations."<ref name=dubermanpages/> Paul Robeson, Jr. has also stated on numerous times that his father was never a member of the CPUSA.
According to records released under the [[Freedom of Information Act]], the [[FBI]] believed that Robeson might have joined the Party under the name "John Thomas" but "his Communist Party membership book number is not known." Robeson's biographer, Martin Duberman, denies that "he was never a member of CPUSA, never a functionary, never a participant in its daily bureaucratic operations."<ref name=dubermanpages/> Paul Robeson, Jr. has also stated on numerous times that his father was never a member of the CPUSA.
However in 1988, Robeson membership in the party was confirmed by CPUSA General Secretary [[Gus Hall]] in a pamphlet entitled, ''Paul Robeson : An American Communist'' [http://www.amazon.com/Paul-Robeson-Communist-Gus-Hall/dp/B0006QXVGS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1248300323&sr=8-1] Hall wrote, "My own most precious moments with Paul were when I met with him to accept his dues and renew his yearly membership in the CPUSA. I and other Communist leaders like Henry Winston, the Party's late, beloved national chair, met with Paul to brief him on politics and Party policies and to discuss his work and struggles."<ref>http://newappeal.blogspot.com/2008/06/flawed-history-of-international.html</ref>
One of the most vocal contemporary conservative voices to challenge Robeson's legacy for his friendship with the CPUSA is [[David Horowitz]] the founder of David Horowitz Freedom Center. David Horowitz mentioned in his 2006 book'' [http://books.google.com/books?id=CYqZjtVp00AC&pg=PA177&dq=Foner%2Bhorowitz The Professors: The 101 Most Dangerous Academics in America]'' the historian [[Eric Foner]] lauding Robeson at a 2003 teach-in at [[Columbia University]] and then responded by saying,:"It's true that Paul Robeson was never satisfied with his country. He was an icon (and member) of the American Communist Party, who received a Stalin Peace Prize from the dictator himself."<ref>Horowitz, David, "Moment of Truth (for the anti-American Left)", ''Jewish World Review'', March 31, 2003''</ref>
One of the most vocal contemporary conservative voices to challenge Robeson's legacy for his friendship with the CPUSA is [[David Horowitz]] the founder of David Horowitz Freedom Center. David Horowitz mentioned in his 2006 book'' [http://books.google.com/books?id=CYqZjtVp00AC&pg=PA177&dq=Foner%2Bhorowitz The Professors: The 101 Most Dangerous Academics in America]'' the historian [[Eric Foner]] lauding Robeson at a 2003 teach-in at [[Columbia University]] and then responded by saying,:"It's true that Paul Robeson was never satisfied with his country. He was an icon (and member) of the American Communist Party, who received a Stalin Peace Prize from the dictator himself."<ref>Horowitz, David, "Moment of Truth (for the anti-American Left)", ''Jewish World Review'', March 31, 2003''</ref>