Changes

'''Paul LeRoy Bustill Robeson''' (April 9, 1898–January 23, 1976) was an American [[actor]] of film and stage, All-American and professional [[athlete]], [[writer]], multi-lingual [[orator]], [[lawyer]], and ''basso profondo'' concert singer who was also noted for his wide-ranging support of [[Josef Stalin]] and [[Communism]]. A forerunner of the [[civil rights]] movement, Robeson was a trade union [[activist]], peace activist, [[Phi Beta Kappa Society]] laureate, and a recipient of the Spingarn Medal and [[Stalin Peace Prize]]. His outspoken beliefs and friendships with international socialist, anti-colonialist activists and Communists led to his passport being revoked from 1950 to 1958 under the [[McCarran Act]] and he was under surveillance by the U.S. [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]], [[Central Intelligence Agency]] and by British [[MI5]] for well over three decades until his death in 1976. Robeson pled the [[Fifth Amendment]] before the [[House Unamerican Activities Committee]] when questioned about CPUSA membership. To this day he has never been officially identified by the United States government as an official CPUSA member despite his many affiliations.

'''Paul LeRoy Bustill Robeson''' (April 9, 1898–January 23, 1976) was an African American actor of film and stage, All-American and professional athlete, writer, multi-lingual orator, lawyer, and ''basso profondo'' concert singer who used his talents to support [[Joseph Stalin]] and [[Communism]], even overlooking to the torture and killing of his Russian friends. Robeson was a left-wing trade union activist, a "peace activist" on Soviet terms, a [[Phi Beta Kappa Society]] laureate, and a recipient of the Spingarn Medal and [[Stalin Peace Prize]]. His close ties to Communism led to his passport being revoked from 1950 to 1958 under the [[McCarran Act]] and he was under surveillance by the U.S. [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]], [[Central Intelligence Agency]] and by British [[MI5]] for well over three decades until his death in 1976.  

 

Robeson was a hero to the far left and while not formally a member of the Communist Party, it relied upon him for support in their relentless efforts to appeal to black Americans. His efforts to turn blacks against America failed, and the civil rights movement kept its distance from this provocateur who threatened to disgrace and distort their movement on behalf of civil rights and  American values.

==Career pre-Cold War==

==Career pre-Cold War==

After graduating with top academic and athletic honors from Rutgers University in 1919, Robeson attended and graduated from Columbia Law school. Racism at the time limited his options in the field of law so he drifted into entertainment.

After graduating with top academic and athletic honors from Rutgers University in 1919, Robeson attended and graduated from Columbia Law school. Racism at the time limited his options in the field of law so he drifted into entertainment.

In the 1920s, Robeson found fame as an actor and singing star of both stage and radio with his Bass voice and commanding presence. He was one of the few true basses in American music, with his beautiful and powerful voice descending as low as C below the bass clef. In addition to his stage performances, his renditions of old negro [[spirituals]] were acclaimed for there beauty in singing and Christian lyricism. Robeson and his accompanist and arranger Lawrence Brown were the first to bring them to the concert stage. Paul Robeson recorded over a hundred songs. He also demanded that many of his films defy stereotypes of blacks, making him first black actor to attempt to play roles which had dignity and stressed African pride.

In the 1920s, Robeson found fame as an actor and singing star of both stage and radio with his Bass voice and commanding presence. He was one of the few true basses in American music, with his beautiful and powerful voice descending as low as C below the bass clef. In addition to his stage performances, his renditions of old Negro [[spirituals]] were acclaimed for there beauty in singing and Christian lyricism. Robeson and his accompanist and arranger Lawrence Brown were the first to bring them to the concert stage. Paul Robeson recorded over a hundred songs. He also demanded that many of his films defy stereotypes of blacks, making him first black actor to attempt to play roles which had dignity and stressed African pride.

His first roles were in 1922 playing Simon in ''Simon the Cyrenian'' at the Harlem YMCA and Jim in ''Taboo'' at the Sam Harris Theater in Harlem. ''Taboo'' was later re-named ''Vodoo''<!--"Voodoo"?-->. He was acclaimed for his 1924 performance in the title role of Eugene O'Neill's ''The Emperor Jones'' in 1920.

His first roles were in 1922 playing Simon in ''Simon the Cyrenian'' at the Harlem YMCA and Jim in ''Taboo'' at the Sam Harris Theater in Harlem. ''Taboo'' was later re-named ''Vodoo''<!--"Voodoo"?-->. He was acclaimed for his 1924 performance in the title role of Eugene O'Neill's ''The Emperor Jones'' in 1920.