Paul Robeson Speaks! 1948 Senate Testimony

Paul Robeson's May 31, 1948 Senate testimony on the Mundt-Nixon Bill. The main provision of the Bill was the requirement that all members of the Communist Party of the United States register with the government.

[@wx7yamaha]

I have to say one thing about Paul Robeson-When he came to my city of Adelaide in South Australia and gave a concert in the Caledonian Hall in King William Street at the end of that wonderful concert as he left through the front doors I had the honour of shaking that man's hand. I am now 78 and this memory stands in my mind as the most important event in my life. He fought for not only his people but also the rights of us all. Sadly, people today have been propogandised out of why we need again to revisit our rights in all its forms. Paul was a bright star in his age, we need another like him in the new Cold War that is enveloping us in this century.

[@rilkiev]

How wonderful that you were able to hear Paul Robeson. I agree with all that you say and am amazed at how few people know of him. His dignity, grace, talent and passionate belief in the possibility of a humane world must never be forgotten.

[@steveliveshere]

I grew up in Sydney. There is a political theory that conservative populism is Fascism. I feel conservative politics has edged too far to the right that it is not just unable to accept alternate views but aggressively attacks them and works against ANY change. Conservative commentators and politicians present issues as a threat and drive people apart. History repeating...

[@michaelmichael1225]

Indeed much love from East African 🇸🇴

[@doncicci9608]

@@steveliveshere Thank you for saying this. The more I research historical facts, the more obvious it is that fascism is here and it has been and will get worse. Yes it is ideology of conservative far right. In America if you speak of privacy rights or the govt spying or the abundant violation of the 4th amendment illegal search and seizure by police, the denial of due process ,utter hatred for the poor, the support of police brutality, the racist garbage they stay obsessed with and yeah if you say anything to the contrary you're labeled Communist. I see it as a hostile country with hate for the truth. They're brainwashed and content with that. All these things Robeson endured he was trying to inform and share his honest observation but also was actually true that Russia was not wanting war with us and he feared that war would be waged against Russia who actually saved the world from the Nazis. All we can do is continue to seek out the truth though our own responsible research. Correct Information helps to set the record straight and can prevent unjust feelings toward others.

[@colinreed2738]

YOU ARE A BIG HEART MR PAUL ROBINSON..MEN OF GREAT HEART GREAT ART NEVER DIE .WE LOVE YOU FOR THAT.

[@chigjuanspartacus2822]

Mr. Robeson was so so far intellectual above these sons of slave owners - Good God, he outspoke them and made hem seem like the entitled clowns they are.

[@brianenglish2333]

Paul Robeson was a giant- intellectually, physically, artistically, and morally- and much loved by my family. He was on of my heroes.

[@alanpattinson6211]

What a credit to the human race this man was and what a digraceful way he was treated by the US system.

[@cmebans35]

Mr. Robeson was accepted when he was singing and acting but when he began to speak out regarding racial inequality in America he became a direct.

[@casteretpollux]

@@cmebans35 He fought for every group of people who are oppressed and exploited in the present system. Like Fred Hampton did.

[@johnbrown6769]

He thought Stalin was a great man. In his own words. Nothing he accomplished,however stunning, redeems him from that ghastly thought.

[@Offline219]

​@@johnbrown6769love this man even more now

[@jpr4747]

​@@johnbrown6769that's what.thoiught Soviet citizens and what think 90% of Russian citizens now and they know why. They can compare with capitalism that destroyed the.rights SU did provide them soon at Day one of the Révolution..I know quite a lot of Russian people : they all agree.

[@iriscollins7583]

The childish questions are pathetic. They didn't even understand the meaning of the questions that they were asking.

[@ednaewell7053]

He helped to father both the black arts movement and the civil rights movement after second war!

[@Janba32]

Paul Robeson was a family friend. One night when he came to dinner he sang my brother and me to sleep. We were 10 and 8 at the time. In the early 1950s when I was a student at UC Berkeley, Paul sang at a small theater in Berkeley. My boyfriend and I went to see him. Afterwards I went back stage and was greeted by Paul with an enormous hug. That was many years ago but I will never forget that marvelous man who sacrificed his career for his principles.

[@noonward]

hell yes, thanks

[@casteretpollux]

A most inspiring fighter for all oppressed people all over the world and much loved by the workers of in my country, Wales.

[@kileleafricahummingbirdvib3899]

Totally readily concur with you!

[@doncicci9608]

Cass The wonderful people of Wales were wonderful to the Robeson's,.

[@CrimeEnjoyer]

We were so close to completely losing our democracy and falling face-first into fascism. I worry we are in a similar predicament now.

[@DogukanSeptem]

USA is a joke

[@clairebeane3455]

We absolutely are in a similar predicament today. 💔

[@elena16350]

You’ve never had democracy, so you weren’t in danger of losing anything, the scum running these sham hearings are testament to this.

[@doncicci9608]

We have been falling victim to fascism for some time. It seems that it's accelerating now.

[@cl5619]

Please define ‘fascism’. If you’re correct in your definition, it should become inescapably apparent that we’re already in fascism and have been for decades

[@arieldovlindgren]

Paul Robeson is one of my greatest heroes as a human being and as an artist. He was exceptionally intelligent and gifted in so many fields. The African-American people need leaders like Paul Robeson and Martin Luther KIng. All American people need leaders like Robeson and King so that we all can start to believe in the U.S.A. again. There is not one single leader today in this country that claims to be the leader of the free world, who is close to these two giants. I cannot find one single leader on the whole of our planet, who is close to Robeson and King. Both belong as well to the greatest orators of the 20th-century wherever on our planet. All American people can be very proud of having had such citizens as Robeson and King.

[@doncicci9608]

I agree with you. Sadly, our history of leaders with the best intentions for the working class, the less fortunate were eliminated. Corruption is too widespread these days and that corrupt system keeps the public divided. We fail because we reject facts that are against what we were lead to believe . Having blind faith in your own political party thinking they never do anything wrong is how the public operates.

[@keithwilliams1243]

What about the Don?

[@francollins4036]

Mine also...i am white.

[@mburukimani3247]

The life of this man should be a high school text on every country of the world. His life transcended our common differences in our life's struggles. I am ashamed I have always considered myself schooled at the light of this soul.

[@Kunsoo1024]

So good to know that this recording exists! I love the James Earl Jones replay, but this is a treasure!

[@old-dead]

Maximum respect. Amazing endurance. I'm just amazed and that's all. I pay great respect to Paul Robeson. Really, this is a great human. How he says what he says. All this is to the point and absolutely true. Greetings from russian communists which, unfortunately, are left not a lot. For the solidarity of the working people! For the International!

[@skillz1855]

This man needs to be on mount Rushmore on the top.

[@mariontaylor387]

History repeats itself. (2016)

[@clairebeane3455]

And 2020

[@cmebans35]

2020

[@georgefarrington895]

Marion Taylor no to conman trump vote this nut job out of office and into jail.

[@nomvulankoro2109]

Reminds me of Malcolm X, brave to call BS as he sees it

[@michaelmichael1225]

Indeed sister, same style 🔥and straightforward ❤️

[@StephenBess]

Yes, in fact, Robeson was someone that Malcolm X greatly admired.

[@kennedymillsap6986]

Freedom Fighter

[@Tenderness1959]

thank you for sharing; never heard this before.

[@applewhite8000]

This man’s intelligence is running circles around these people… I would feel so fucking stupid standing next to this person.

[@MercutioGoinsSr]

Here it is 2021 and we still couldn't pass the lynching bill.

[@lydiadoumon6781]

Very very sad nothing has changed perhaps worse. We need people like today 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@kincamell2]

Much Gratitude.

[@fisterklister]

Paul Robeson was a hero

[@jrr3418]

*is

[@emmaziegler6647]

This man was a good public speaker i am a bumbling idiot when i have to speak in public

[@shannonswift2233]

Emma Ziegler I’m sure you’re not that bad! 🤪

[@francollins4036]

One of the greatest men ever.

[@seansmith3058]

back in 48 you could still talk back..

[@SagesseNoir]

Bu tit was very dangerous since the McCarthyist movement had begun.

[@seansmith3058]

+SagesseNoir of course. My point was it would get much worse.

[@rosebud3971]

Mundt-Nixon Bill WAS ENACTED ENACTED. 1948. He had clout even then and he restated the Bill of Rights without being sidetracked or distracted. And he atttacks the states of the listening idiotic congressmen. The typical stupid attempt of the senate to trip Robeson into agreeing to a takeover by a foreign government is dismissed by Robeson referring to established law.

[@davidbeavan9521]

He was the man

[@davidw9772]

Gospel

[@christianbandala8715]

when his agenta was sociaolist at his times, im a proud socialist nowadays!

[@larrygod7616]

2020.

[@kasperrghat4318]

And then... another one: June 12, 1956. Land of the Free!

[@cmebans35]

2020: Still waiting for justice

[@ianherries6350]

A fine man! One can only ask why black America has not progressed.

[@mehitchcock]

One need not ask that when white America is still behaving exactly the same

[@dahliafully]

One can only answer with what white America put forth in revenge for Brown vs. the Board of Education. When black America is fought at every turn for basic rights and disenfranchised on every level, then progression will only be featured on those who play along.

[@SidyMGueye]

They should name the Congress after him; to sanitize it. ;)

[@ecnash8272]

That was an awful time.

[@caramelldansen2204]

Still is.

[@davidchambers2129]

Is this a radio broadcast? If so, who broadcasted it, on what radio show, and on what date?

[@ericfelder2282]

How Eloquent this Brotha took apart the so-called powers that be, this Man's whole life was if i may called the American Dream that trun into the American Nightmare. I have a Question, what did he ever do wrong and where is your Proof and or Evidence.