Supplemental Post #5 - Megan Henckel

     For the past week I’ve been ruminating over Here I Stand (1999) and the incredible life of Paul Robeson. As a public figure and essentially the first bonafide African American star, Robeson carved out a space for successful African Americans during the early 20th century. There is no doubt that his contributions to music, theater, cinema, (the list goes on and on) contributed to cultural movements of his time and have had a lasting impact on generations of people across the world, both black and white. Paul Robeson was never a name I knew well until I learned of him during a class taken here at USC. A few semesters ago I took a history class on black social movements in the U.S. that chronicled black history from the 17th century to the present. The class explored specific periods throughout that history and how they directly correspond to social movements towards equality, and more interestingly, result in cultural shifts and movements that empowered generations of African Americans while emphasizing the significance of black culture. Paul Robeson was studied as we began a dive into the early twentieth century cultural dynamics, the Harlem Renaissance and eventually, Robeson’s important role in the political landscape during the 30’s and onward. As Here I Stand explains, Robeson adhered to socialist ideologies and politics during a period in American history where socialism was equated to evil totalitarian regimes and a complete lack of individual freedom. Sadly for his beliefs, he was vilified, disregarded, and eventually exiled from America. The once prolific Paul Robeson, and his star image of representing the ideal black man, soon became connected with radicalism and a complete betrayal of American democracy and freedom.
     What has always been simultaneously fascinating and heartbreaking about such a case is that for someone who was considered to betray American ideals, especially during and post WWII when American democracy was being threatened by opposing political structures, Paul Robeson was only ever searching for a way to resolve the inherent racism and discrimination so present in America. His reason for believing in socialism so deeply was that he felt it was the primary method of expunging discrimination if it was applied in the United States because he saw no resentment or racial animosity towards blacks in socialist societies. He was a strong fighter for justice and civil rights across the world and truly believed in equality for all, including everyone from workers to racial minorities. Yet, the minute he was associated with socialism or anything that was considered un-American at the time, he was instantly cast out and resigned from his once popular status Despite being a staunch anti-fascist and a supporter of the American war effort as well as Allied forces, Robeson was targeted for beliefs that many in America deemed as a threat to American Democracy. 
     I don’t necessarily think that socialism was the solution to America’s deep seated racism as Robeson thought but I can imagine that as a black man who grew up during some of America’s most tarnished history with regards to racial inequality and hate, seeing society where this was absent must have been appealing.To me, it is interesting how Robeson’s political beliefs and his quest for justice were so misconstrued by the American public. His strides towards equality, the way he broke racial barriers, the way he captured the hearts of the American public during his career didn’t altogether disappear but they were most certainly tainted by his political connections and his Russian allegiances. I think it’s both interesting and useful to examine the ways in which our societal tendencies and beliefs, in this instance McCarthyism and HUAC, directly connect with star images and the audience’s perceptions and understandings of that persona. I wonder who today’s equivalent of Paul Robeson (in terms of his political ideologies) would be? Possibly Tom Hanks supporting North Korea’s totalitarian regime or Oprah Winfrey siding with the Assad regime of Syria? It makes me wonder what would have become of Robeson if he hadn’t of been associated with socialism, the Soviet Union, and the negative connotations. I hope that more people would have known the name of Paul Robeson and that his presence, within the entertainment industry, politics, and civil rights, would have been at the forefront of the conversation rather than his perceived “radical” or negative political views.