April 9, 2023 marks the 125th birth anniversary of Paul Robeson. In honor of “the tallest tree of the forest,” we rightly give acknowledgement for his art and dedication to justice.
We do the same for the immense sacrifices he made for what he believed. In an age of moral monsters (thank you, James Baldwin) panicking about who is allegedly heard and unheard, we must remember the gravity of what he gave for Black freedom at home and internationalism abroad.
Robeson’s life was threatened by fascists in Peekskill, NY, in 1949. His passport was revoked in the Red Scare, forcing him to give his legendary Peace Arch concerts right at the US-Canada border on a flatbed truck in 1952 and 1953. In 1957, he even gave a concert for Welsh miners by telephone, decades before videoconferencing was even functional. More to the point, his acting career was destroyed by liberal Hollywood.
But instead of offering you music to commemorate the man, I share with you his oratory. Here is the powerful speech he gave at the Peace Arch. Listen and reflect on what has changed 70 years since.