Topic: Paul Robeson

2 chapters across the catalog

74: Silly Mode
• 2:39:19 - 2:45:10

74: Silly Mode

Paul Robeson and the House Un-American Activities Committee

A dramatic reading by James Earl Jones recreates the 1956 testimony of Paul Robeson before the House Un-American Activities Committee. Robeson defiantly invokes the Fifth Amendment while challenging the committee's authority and defending his right to his political beliefs. The hosts use this as an example of a "legal lynching" where the system attempts to destroy a serious individual's reputation and livelihood.

33: Sandbagged
• 1:11:32 - 1:15:52

33: Sandbagged

Paul Robeson on Black Labor and Accumulated Wealth

Paul Robeson, a blacklisted actor and activist, describes how the primary wealth of America was built "upon the backs" of black labor. Robeson argues that a significant portion of America's accumulated wealth belongs to the descendants of those who provided free labor. The segment emphasizes that reparations are not a "handout" but payment for services rendered.