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{{cquote|In speaking for denial of civil liberties to the Socialist Workers Party, Mr. Robeson asked the conference, "Would you give civil rights to the Ku Klux Klan?"

{{cquote|In speaking for denial of civil liberties to the Socialist Workers Party, Mr. Robeson asked the conference, "Would you give civil rights to the Ku Klux Klan?"

"No," chorused the delegates.

"No," chorused the delegates.

"These men are the allies of fascism who want to destroy the new democracies of the world," the singer shouted. "Let's not get confused. They are the enemies of the working class."<ref>"[http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50815F9395B167B93CAA8178CD85F4D8485F9 Rights Group Bars Socialist Pardon; Robeson Heads Fight on Plea For Restoring Liberties to Workers Party Members]," ''The New York Times'', July 18, 1949. Cf. [http://ia341028.us.archive.org/3/items/investigationofu0304unit/investigationofu0304unit_bw.pdf Investigation of the Unauthorized Use of United States Passports&mdash;Part 3], Committee on Un-American Activities, United States House of Representatives, 84th Cong., 2d sess. June 12-13, 1956 (Washington: United States Government Printing Office, 1956), p. 4676</ref>}}

"These men are the allies of fascism who want to destroy the new democracies of the world," the singer shouted. "Let's not get confused. They are the enemies of the working class."<ref>"[http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50815F9395B167B93CAA8178CD85F4D8485F9 Rights Group Bars Socialist Pardon; Robeson Heads Fight on Plea For Restoring Liberties to Workers Party Members]," ''The New York Times'', July 18, 1949. Cf. [http://ia341028.us.archive.org/3/items/investigationofu0304unit/investigationofu0304unit_bw.pdf Investigation of the Unauthorized Use of United States Passports&mdash;Part 3], Committee on Un-American Activities, United States House of Representatives, 84th Cong., 2d sess. June 12-13, 1956 (Washington: United States Government Printing Office, 1956), p. 4676 (PDF p. 202)</ref>}}

Also in 1949, addressing the Communist-led World Congress of Partisans in Paris, Robeson said, "It is unthinkable that American Negroes could go to war on behalf of those who have oppressed us for generations against the Soviet Union, which in one generation has raised our people to full human dignity."<ref>Freedomways, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=L8pcRKhKjdoC Paul Robeson: The Great Forerunner]'' (International Publishers, 1998) ISBN 071780724X, p. 320</ref> In the official organ of the Communist Party, he reiterated: "At the Paris Conference I said it was unthinkable that the Negro people of America or elsewhere in the world could be drawn into war with the Soviet Union."<ref>Paul Robeson, “I Am Looking for Full Freedom,” ''The Worker'', July 3, 1949</ref>

His Stalinism also led Robeson to to suggest that African Americans were disloyal, by saying that they would not defend the United States from Soviet aggression. At a 1949 Paris conference sponsored by the Soviet Union, he sang "[[Joe Hill]]"<ref>[http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/coldwar/interviews/episode-6/robeson1.html Interview with Paul Robeson, Jnr.], "Cold War" (CNN), National Security Archive, George Washington University</ref> (a song honoring the [[IWW]] member convicted of murder and executed in 1915) and said, "It is unthinkable that American Negroes could go to war on behalf of those who have oppressed us for generations against the Soviet Union, which in one generation has raised our people to full human dignity."<ref>Freedomways, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=L8pcRKhKjdoC Paul Robeson: The Great Forerunner]'' (International Publishers, 1998) ISBN 071780724X, p. 320</ref> In the official organ of the Communist Party, he reiterated: "At the Paris Conference I said it was unthinkable that the Negro people of America or elsewhere in the world could be drawn into war with the Soviet Union. I repeat it with hundredfold emphasis: They will not."<ref>Paul Robeson, “I Am Looking for Full Freedom,” ''The Worker'', July 3, 1949. Cf. [http://ia341028.us.archive.org/3/items/investigationofu0304unit/investigationofu0304unit_bw.pdf Investigation of the Unauthorized Use of United States Passports&mdash;Part 3], Committee on Un-American Activities, United States House of Representatives, 84th Cong., 2d sess. June 12-13, 1956 (Washington: United States Government Printing Office, 1956), p. 4502 (PDF p. 22); Sheldon Foner, ed., "[http://books.google.com/books?id=V_CJfbpKOLwC Paul Robeson Speaks: Writings, Speeches, Interviews, 1918-1974]" (Citadel Press, 1978) ISBN 0806508159, p. 424; </ref>

This pronouncement drew public rebukes from African-American labor leader A. Philip Randolph, international president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the largest black labor union;<ref>"[http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00F11FD355F177B93C5A9178AD95F4D8485F9 Robeson Criticized by Negro Union Head]," ''The New York Times'', November 7, 1949, p. 23</ref> by the National Urban League, which issued a resolution condemning exploitation of the race issue by "totalitarian forces of whatever persuasion";<ref>Doris Greenberg, "[http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00612F73C5F177B93CBA91782D85F4D8485F9 Urban League Set to Chide Robeson; Leaders Draft Statement for Approval Today Condemning Exploiting of Race Issue]," ''The New York Times'', September 9, 1949, p. 15</ref> and by Sugar Ray Robinson, frequently cited as the greatest boxer of all time, who told a reporter that if he ever crossed paths with Robeson he would "punch him in the mouth."<ref>Michael C. Moynihan, "[http://reason.com/archives/2008/10/23/socialist-is-not-a-racist-smea 'Socialist' Is Not A Racist Smear]," ''Reason'', October 23, 2008</ref>

This pronouncement drew public rebukes from African-American labor leader A. Philip Randolph, international president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the largest black labor union;<ref>"[http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00F11FD355F177B93C5A9178AD95F4D8485F9 Robeson Criticized by Negro Union Head]," ''The New York Times'', November 7, 1949, p. 23</ref> by the National Urban League, which issued a resolution condemning exploitation of the race issue by "totalitarian forces of whatever persuasion";<ref>Doris Greenberg, "[http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00612F73C5F177B93CBA91782D85F4D8485F9 Urban League Set to Chide Robeson; Leaders Draft Statement for Approval Today Condemning Exploiting of Race Issue]," ''The New York Times'', September 9, 1949, p. 15</ref> and by Sugar Ray Robinson, frequently cited as the greatest boxer of all time, who told a reporter that if he ever crossed paths with Robeson he would "punch him in the mouth."<ref>Michael C. Moynihan, "[http://reason.com/archives/2008/10/23/socialist-is-not-a-racist-smea 'Socialist' Is Not A Racist Smear]," ''Reason'', October 23, 2008</ref>