Provisional Committee to Restore Paul Robeson’s Passport
“The Case of Paul Robeson’s Passport” press release
New York, ca. 1951
Paul Robeson Collection, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
“The Case of Paul Robeson’s Passport” press release
The prominent actor and singer Paul Robeson (1898–1976) used his celebrity to advance causes of peace, democracy, and equality around the world, becoming one of the most well-known advocates of civil rights and organized labor in the United States. Like other high-profile Black figures sympathetic to progressive causes, he was aggressively targeted by both government agencies and racist white audiences. His international activism and comments criticizing the U.S. government’s treatment of Black Americans attracted government attention. Representatives of the State Department revoked his passport in 1950, and it was not returned to him until 1958. In the intervening years, he lost many speaking and singing engagements and suffered financial hardships. By revoking his passport, the State Department not only penalized the actor, but also sent a broader message to the American public about what types of speech were acceptable.
: Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, Schomburg Center for Research in…
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