Paul Robeson on the Soviet Union

All clips taken from the documentary 'Here I Stand - Paul Robeson'.

[assisbisneto]

This is a brave man. Glory to the true American people, who tighten the ranks of socialism, the dream of human emancipation!

[po-olxl]

In 1937, a highly expectant audience of Moscow citizens—workers, artists, youth, farmers from surrounding towns—crowded the Bolshoy Theater. They awaited a performance by the Uzbek National Theater, headed by the highly gifted Tamara Khanum. The orchestra was a large one with instruments ancient and modern. How exciting would be the blending of the music of the rich culture of Moussorgsky, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Khrennikov, Gliere—with that of the beautiful music of the Uzbeks, stemming from an old and proud civilization.

Suddenly everyone stood—began to applaud—to cheer—and to smile. The children waved.

In a box to the right—smiling and applauding the audience—as well as the artists on the stage—stood the great Stalin.

I remember the tears began to quietly flow and I too smiled and waved. Here was clearly a man who seemed to embrace all. So kindly—I can never forget that warm feeling of kindliness and also a feeling of sureness. Here was one who was wise and good—the world and especially the socialist world was fortunate indeed to have his daily guidance. I lifted high my son Paul to wave to this world leader, and his leader. For Paul, Jr. had entered school in Moscow, in the land of the Soviets.

[billhaywood]

His legs bestrid the ocean. His reared arm
Crested the world. His voice was propertied
As all the tunèd spheres, and that to friends.
85But when he meant to quail and shake the orb,
He was as rattling thunder. For his bounty,
There was no winter in ’t, an autumn ’twas
That grew the more by reaping. His delights
Were dolphinlike; they showed his back above
90The element they lived in. In his livery
Walked crowns and crownets. Realms and islands were
As plates dropped from his pocket.

[alexgoliaff]

Paul Robeson the greatest man, better than any human rights activist of our time, the best of the best, better than Martin Luther King cannot be compared with anyone else, I can say that he was the only person who could be put on a par with a fighter against contemporary enslavers Chris Hani in South Africa. ✊🏻

[briandelaney]

Apologist for a system that shot his friends. Nothing to be admired in that

[briandelaney]

He was an unrepentant Stalinist who never spoke out even when he saw friends who disappeared into the Gulag or shot.

[ytgadfly]

the soviets were just as racist as the west. I am not white, I dont downplay the racism here in the US. But Paul was a celebrity in the USSR and treated as such. Stalin was a huge racist and its sad Robeson didn't see past his own personal experience there.

[buckeyewill]

A Stalinist who wanted to replace one oppression with another one

[iscrewy]

Holodomor: At least 3 million dead
Red Terror: At least 10, 000 dead
Dekulakization: At least 500, 000 dead
Great Purge: At least 700, 000 dead

[biacampbell]

Great brave man! On his country he was no more than a slave a second class citizen, in Soviet Union he was a Man like all others, I don’t see the surprise of some people for his words!