Paul Robeson: A Watched Man

Paul Robeson (1898–1976) was a man of varied talents. The son of a runaway slave, he was a star collegiate athlete, a law school graduate, a famous actor and singer, and a political activist who spoke out against racism and colonialism and for labor rights to a wide international audience. Goodman (The Devil and Mr. Casement) has written a compelling biography of Robeson, using newly available sources from the U.S. Department of State, the FBI, MI5, and the KGB to examine the political impact of his artistic and activist campaigns. Focusing primarily on the years 1949–1957, when U.S. anticommunism reached its peak, Goodman highlights Robeson's use of his performances as a platform from which he could discuss American civil rights, the Spanish Civil War, workers' rights, and socialism. Juxtaposing Robeson's popularity with the U.S. government's efforts to contain his influence and culminating in Robeson's refusal to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee, Goodman guides readers through the complex political dialog of mid-20th-century America.