Paul Robeson

"I've learned that my people are not the only ones oppressed.. . . I have sung my songs all over the world and everywhere found that some common bond makes the people of all lands take to Negro songs as their own." - Paul Robeson

Paul Robeson by Yousuf Karsh, 1938

An activist-intellectual can be defined as an individual who has or had a lifetime commitment to the cause of human liberation, providing an outspoken criticism and action against any and/or all forms of oppression, from racism and imperialism to sexism and homophobia . These individuals are politically and socially engaged in revolutionary change, both theoretically and in practice. They also display extraordinary leadership in their endeavors.

Paul Robeson (April 9, 1898 - January 23, 1976) is a figure who exemplified the idea that the activist-intellectual is a figure who creates legacy through the practical and theoretical application of a set of political and social ideas that are devoted to the cause of civil rights. During the course of his lifetime, Paul Robeson was committed to fighting oppression, including the lynching of African Americans and segregation. His commitment to social justice was seen not only in his speech, but also in the creation of organizations such as the American Crusade Against Lynching.

While he did much as an activist-intellectual committed to ideas of social justice, like all great figures in an activist-intellectual narrative, he has left a legacy which must be also be viewed with a critical eye, including his loyalty to the Soviet Union. He left us with a body of work and a legacy of activism which allows us to critically analyze this renaissance figure of American history.