The most famous black person in America’: How the 1950s ‘Red Scare’ erased a US icon
The topic centers on Paul Robeson, the extraordinary multi-talented figure—singer, actor, athlete, scholar, and activist—who was once hailed as the most famous Black person in America. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, his recording and performance of “Ballad for Americans” skyrocketed his popularity, making him a national symbol of unity and pride. Yet by … Read more