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Here I Stand
Robeson's international achievements as a singer and actor in starring roles on stage and screen made him the most celebrated black American of his day, but his outspoken criticism of racism in the United States, his strong support of African independence, and his fascination with the Soviet Union placed him under the debilitating scrutiny of McCarthyism. Blacklisted, his famed voice silenced, Here I Stand offered a bold answer to his accusers. It remains today a defiant challenge to the prevailing fear and racism that continues to characterize American society.
160 pages, Paperback
First published August 5, 1971
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May 26, 2013
There was a lot I didn't know about Paul Robeson. That the when the full weight of the U.S. government's anger fell upon him as a red and for his exposure of civil rights abuses, his income fell from $100,000 to $6,000 a year, his life as a public performer was effectively ended for 10 years, and they took his passport from him...I still can't quite get over that they took his passport from him. I don't know why, or that there is much the US government can do to surprise. But he never changed his position or backed down...This was written in 1958, before he was allowed to travel or perform again, just after the Montgomery bus boycott and the unfolding events in Little Rock as schools were forcibly integrated. Parts of it concern his own exile from his vocation and the issues around his passport, which are so important yet the details are of less relelvance today than the simple fact they were allowed to happen at all ever. But it opens with a lovely biographical chapter (fleshed out a great deal in the intro), and the last two chapters, 'The Time is Now' and 'The Power of Negro Action' are prophetic. Some of my favourite quotes from these last:
Things we have maybe forgotten but that have also been terribly prophetic:
and:
Ain't that the truth, and aren't we still seeing it today? Even if their rhetoric has changed into a superficial colourblindness that still maintains the lines of race and class discrimination.
The tragedy of a movement not yet fully awakened, and the racism of the north:
In a nutshell: 'Mass action -- in political life and elsewhere -- is Negro power in motion; and it is the way to win'. [p 107]
These two things, the importance of personal integrity and courage, and the collective rising and movement are the two cornerstones of Robeson's political and life philosophy, and you could look for no better I think. Perhaps my favourite quote, though, is not from him at all, but from an elderly woman explaining her part in the Montgomery bus strikes. She said
Things we have maybe forgotten but that have also been terribly prophetic:
'Let me make this clear', declared Jim Eastland, the foremost spokesman for this group [believers in white supremacy], in a Senate speech ten days after the Supreme Court outlawed school segregation.,'the South will retain segregation'. And the strength of this viewpoint was shown when a hundred other Senators and Representatives from the South signed a manifesto in which they denounced the Court's decision and pledged that they would resist its enforcement. [p74]
and:
Until their political power is broken [the Dixiecrats], there can be no real social or economic progress for the common people anywhere, North or South. Indeed, it is clear that not only will there be no progress, but there will be firther retrogression unless this political cancer is removed from public life.
Ain't that the truth, and aren't we still seeing it today? Even if their rhetoric has changed into a superficial colourblindness that still maintains the lines of race and class discrimination.
The tragedy of a movement not yet fully awakened, and the racism of the north:
Very often these days we see photographs in the newspapers and magazines of a Negro family -- the husband, wife, their children -- huddled together in their newly purchased or rented home, while outside hundreds of Negro-haters have gathered to throw stones, to howl filthy abuse, to threaten murder and arson; and there may or may not be some policemen at the scene. But something is missing from this picture that ought to be there, and its absence gives rise to a nagging question that cannot be stilled: Where are the other Negroes? Where are the hundreds and thousands of other Negroes in that town who ought to be there protecting their own? The power of numbers that is missing from the scene would change the whole picture as nothing else could. ... When the Negro is told that eh must 'stay in his place' there is always the implicit threat that unless he does [p 93] so mob violence will be used against him. Hence, as I see it, nothing is more important than to establish the fact that we will no longer suffer the use of mobs against us.
In a nutshell: 'Mass action -- in political life and elsewhere -- is Negro power in motion; and it is the way to win'. [p 107]
These two things, the importance of personal integrity and courage, and the collective rising and movement are the two cornerstones of Robeson's political and life philosophy, and you could look for no better I think. Perhaps my favourite quote, though, is not from him at all, but from an elderly woman explaining her part in the Montgomery bus strikes. She said
When I rode in the Jim Crow buses my body was riding but my soul was walking, but now when my body is walking my soul is riding! [p 101]
January 14, 2021
What a fucking legend.
July 9, 2021
Paul Robeson was a hero, a true artist of the people, and one the greatest Americans of all time.
Using his great talent and international stature to unite the working peoples of the world through commonalities of folk music, Paul Robeson was a tireless champion of racial, social and economic equality for all human beings. For this, the full might of the Eisenhower-Dulles era US government was brought down to suffocate his career in an attempt to silence him.
There are too many great lines but here are some standouts: “the tremendous strides of the various peoples of the Soviet Union have given the greatest proof of the latent abilities, not only of the so-called agricultural people presumably unfit for the intricate industrial techniques, but also of so-called backward [colonized] peoples who have clearly demonstrated that they function like all others.”
“On many occasions I have publicly expressed my believe in the principles of scientific socialism, my deep conviction that for all mankind a socialist society represents an advance to a higher stage of life - that is a form of society which is economically socially culturally and ethically superior to a system based upon production for private profit. The development of human society-from tribalism to feudalism, to capitalism, to socialism- is brought about by the needs and aspirations of mankind for a better life. Today we see hundreds of millions of people living in socialist countries...and that newly emancipated nations of Asia and Africa are seriously considering the question as to which economic system is the better for them to adopt...the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Let the various social systems compete with each other under conditions of peaceful coexistence, and the people can decide for themselves.”
“I felt too that the rapidly growing power of the Soviet Union in world affairs would become an important factor in aiding the colonial liberation movement...Here in New York in the UN, we have all been able to see with our own eyes that on every issue that has come up the USSR and other socialist countries have voted in favor of the colored peoples of the world. Some people say this is merely a matter of playing politics, but wouldn’t it be wonderful for colored people everywhere if the US delegation to the UN also ‘played politics’ by voting this way?”
Using his great talent and international stature to unite the working peoples of the world through commonalities of folk music, Paul Robeson was a tireless champion of racial, social and economic equality for all human beings. For this, the full might of the Eisenhower-Dulles era US government was brought down to suffocate his career in an attempt to silence him.
There are too many great lines but here are some standouts: “the tremendous strides of the various peoples of the Soviet Union have given the greatest proof of the latent abilities, not only of the so-called agricultural people presumably unfit for the intricate industrial techniques, but also of so-called backward [colonized] peoples who have clearly demonstrated that they function like all others.”
“On many occasions I have publicly expressed my believe in the principles of scientific socialism, my deep conviction that for all mankind a socialist society represents an advance to a higher stage of life - that is a form of society which is economically socially culturally and ethically superior to a system based upon production for private profit. The development of human society-from tribalism to feudalism, to capitalism, to socialism- is brought about by the needs and aspirations of mankind for a better life. Today we see hundreds of millions of people living in socialist countries...and that newly emancipated nations of Asia and Africa are seriously considering the question as to which economic system is the better for them to adopt...the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Let the various social systems compete with each other under conditions of peaceful coexistence, and the people can decide for themselves.”
“I felt too that the rapidly growing power of the Soviet Union in world affairs would become an important factor in aiding the colonial liberation movement...Here in New York in the UN, we have all been able to see with our own eyes that on every issue that has come up the USSR and other socialist countries have voted in favor of the colored peoples of the world. Some people say this is merely a matter of playing politics, but wouldn’t it be wonderful for colored people everywhere if the US delegation to the UN also ‘played politics’ by voting this way?”
May 19, 2011
This was a compelling book about Paul troubles with the American Government. It showed how Paul was becoming a Pan African and how he had the ear of many African Revolutionaries who became leaders of their countries. Paul being Whitelisted over Communism was really about, not allowing him to voice Internationally the racism here at home. Malcolm X stated that this book was one of the books that changed and influenced his life and after reading it I can see why. It was Paul who first brought up bringing this country in front of the U.N. for racism and Malcolm picked it up later in his life. This is a must read to those who are interested in Pan Africanism and also getting to know one of the most brilliant and talented Man that ever walked this Earth.
August 31, 2023
In the middle of the twentieth century, Paul Robeson was considered the most well-known American in the world. He was a famous singer, football player, and polymath/scholar who advocated for universal equal rights, especially at home in America. However, during the 1950s, he made a statement supportive of the USSR, and he was blacklisted by the US State Department in the Red Scare. Subsequently, he was denied a passport, essential for an international showman. Eventually, this practice was ruled unconstitutional, but Robeson lost key years in his professional life.
With his income slashed from around $100,000 per year to a few thousand dollars per year, Robeson wrote this autobiography to explain himself to the public. He talks about his upbringing as a Presbyterian pastor’s son of a freed enslaved father in Princeton, New Jersey. He shows the nature of his deep faith, its roots in education, and his desire for racial equality. He talks about how he bonded with the white working class in England and criticizes 1950s black civil rights leaders as being too self-interested. He portrays himself as a man of character and integrity.
Most interestingly, he explains his political leanings towards communism and socialism. Although many today object to these views, he reminds us that democratic American at the time tolerated Jim Crow laws. Indeed, the Soviet Union offered more racial equality than much of the United States at the time. He still laudably maintains his allegiance to America because his family helped build this country. Of course, in assessing the Soviet Union, he omits mentioning Stalin’s pogroms and other human rights abuses. This notable shortcoming might explain why he is not much remembered today.
Paul Robeson helped inspire the generation of civil rights leaders in the 1960s movement, people like John Lewis. We now have the perspective of the fall of communism, but it’s worth reading this autobiography to understand the diversity of opinions during this age interacting with race. Much like racial progress today, the struggle isn’t always linear and obvious. Characters like Robeson demonstrate that genius can occur in every skin tone, and so can noble suffering.
With his income slashed from around $100,000 per year to a few thousand dollars per year, Robeson wrote this autobiography to explain himself to the public. He talks about his upbringing as a Presbyterian pastor’s son of a freed enslaved father in Princeton, New Jersey. He shows the nature of his deep faith, its roots in education, and his desire for racial equality. He talks about how he bonded with the white working class in England and criticizes 1950s black civil rights leaders as being too self-interested. He portrays himself as a man of character and integrity.
Most interestingly, he explains his political leanings towards communism and socialism. Although many today object to these views, he reminds us that democratic American at the time tolerated Jim Crow laws. Indeed, the Soviet Union offered more racial equality than much of the United States at the time. He still laudably maintains his allegiance to America because his family helped build this country. Of course, in assessing the Soviet Union, he omits mentioning Stalin’s pogroms and other human rights abuses. This notable shortcoming might explain why he is not much remembered today.
Paul Robeson helped inspire the generation of civil rights leaders in the 1960s movement, people like John Lewis. We now have the perspective of the fall of communism, but it’s worth reading this autobiography to understand the diversity of opinions during this age interacting with race. Much like racial progress today, the struggle isn’t always linear and obvious. Characters like Robeson demonstrate that genius can occur in every skin tone, and so can noble suffering.
March 17, 2021
Another historical example of a figure who was persecuted relentlessly and unfairly in his time, and then celebrated afterwards.
March 20, 2016
A great introduction to the political thought of an important - but seldom studied - figure in the struggle for global Black Liberation. "Here I Stand" is not an autobiography, and only the first chapter delves into his childhood, providing just enough information to understand his background. Instead, the book provides a response to everything that was being written and said about Robeson at the time. Here, he explains his appreciation for the Soviet Union and England, but also an explanation as to why he returned to the United States. It also explains the reasons why the U.S. State Department denied him a passport for 7 years. He attacks the idea of "gradualism" made famous by Booker T. Washington, and explains the importance of organized Black action. Perhaps most interesting is his interest in universal Black Liberation, and his discussion of how other nations look to the United States as a leader, yet see how it treats its own black people.
This is a quick, yet insightful read that will add another dimension to Black History. I read it mostly in one day, and didn't want to put it down. Recommended.
This is a quick, yet insightful read that will add another dimension to Black History. I read it mostly in one day, and didn't want to put it down. Recommended.
August 11, 2021
I just saw a list of 25 must-read books by African-American authors, and was totally flabbergasted why this amazing book was not on the list. Only goes to prove the point that some of the greatest voices are the ones most silenced. In fact I only ever became aware of Paul Robeson because my favorite band of all time Manic Street Preachers came out with their song Let Robeson Sing. Everyone should read this book especially if you have never heard of Robeson before. And do yourself a favor and try to actually listen to a recording of him singing too!
September 30, 2021
Bias: I believe Paul Robeson should be restored to the pedestal he would have occupied but for the bigotry he defied in the forties and fifties.
There are excellent bios of Robeson and his wife Eslanda out there, but nothing quite beats hearing from Robeson himself. At times digressive, as he was in many interviews, the convictions that drove the man are evident in every page of this short work. And what a man!
There are excellent bios of Robeson and his wife Eslanda out there, but nothing quite beats hearing from Robeson himself. At times digressive, as he was in many interviews, the convictions that drove the man are evident in every page of this short work. And what a man!
June 27, 2008
Yay! This is an amazing little book. It had a decent contextualizing forward, and, written in 1958, Robeson is visionary in his analysis of the civil rights struggle. What a bad-ass, principled person. Loved it. Read it.
August 4, 2011
I don't think any review I could write would do this book justice.
November 30, 2023
In this semi-biographical work, Robeson's aim is to concisely outline his positions in order to set the record straight. A record that had become deeply smeared by a dishonest government desensitized to its own treachery. It is for other works to detail his exceptional abilities, but he does very briefly outline his more formative experiences. A measure of his exceptional talents is evidenced by winning a scholarship to study at Rutgers (being only the 3rd ever African American to attend), and simultaneously becoming Valedictorian and a two time All-American football player. He won numerous other honors any one of which would have exquisitely decorated any ordinary resume. It seems he accomplished as one person what would have taken the combined efforts of half a dozen other respectably talented people. This despite rampant discrimination. He truly represented the best of humanity, and though his law career proved to constraining, he would flourish in the arts as world renowned performing artist and singer.
As a pre-civil rights voice, his voice wasn't due to resonate for yet another decade when the struggle for equality was due to reach its full chorus. Instead, bold as it was, it suffered the fate of having to find its place in an consciousness that was too busy highlighting the American exceptionalism that had won World War II and sought the establishment of the new world order to reflect this. And so, the American conscious could hardly tolerate the accusations of being complicit to sanctioned discrimination, subjugation, and murder-how could the bastion of democracy fail to realize life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness for all its citizens within its own borders? These views threated the legitimacy of the moral project seeking to establish American Hegemony worldwide and this was made existential when it was claimed that it was to duel the Soviet agenda which eyed the same spoils. The fight against the Soviet ruse undermining American claims was paramount, and the still yet rampant McCarthyism was sure to find Robeson squarely within its sight. For the greater cause, the country would spare Robeson his life but would take a large measure of liberty and pursuit of his happiness.
It's not only that Robeson's own experiences with abject racial discrimination taught him the necessity of subversion, it's that he had also been able to travel around the world and understand more completely the precise flavor of American racism. He learned that he could complement it with the class struggles that afflict the human brotherhood from abroad. It is easy to see that the struggle and solidarity among the proletariat was easily relatable to the struggle of his own people. The African-American in securing his emancipation gained entry to the human brotherhood, but his admittance was only to the newly created underclass. The language of the bourgeoisie and the proletariat could easily be mapped to the relations between the whites and blacks, and since his voice was sparse in America, he found that the solidarity he knew resonated among the working classes abroad.
The fraternization with these international correspondents gave the discrimination targeted towards Robeson a unique blend as the paranoid state already ill-suited to see its own, saw the dangerous influences of foreign actors. How easy it abandons its own principles of enshrined liberties whenever a threat looms. It is curious how paranoid the powerful become, sacrificing all principles in desperation to gain any measure of security. The powerless can only arm themselves with the universal. Fortunately, we live in times where posterity will enshrine Robeson and his trials are a testament to the power of an individual armed with universals. It is something worth aspiring towards as the pursuit of better governance still is best understood as a shared struggle.
As a pre-civil rights voice, his voice wasn't due to resonate for yet another decade when the struggle for equality was due to reach its full chorus. Instead, bold as it was, it suffered the fate of having to find its place in an consciousness that was too busy highlighting the American exceptionalism that had won World War II and sought the establishment of the new world order to reflect this. And so, the American conscious could hardly tolerate the accusations of being complicit to sanctioned discrimination, subjugation, and murder-how could the bastion of democracy fail to realize life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness for all its citizens within its own borders? These views threated the legitimacy of the moral project seeking to establish American Hegemony worldwide and this was made existential when it was claimed that it was to duel the Soviet agenda which eyed the same spoils. The fight against the Soviet ruse undermining American claims was paramount, and the still yet rampant McCarthyism was sure to find Robeson squarely within its sight. For the greater cause, the country would spare Robeson his life but would take a large measure of liberty and pursuit of his happiness.
It's not only that Robeson's own experiences with abject racial discrimination taught him the necessity of subversion, it's that he had also been able to travel around the world and understand more completely the precise flavor of American racism. He learned that he could complement it with the class struggles that afflict the human brotherhood from abroad. It is easy to see that the struggle and solidarity among the proletariat was easily relatable to the struggle of his own people. The African-American in securing his emancipation gained entry to the human brotherhood, but his admittance was only to the newly created underclass. The language of the bourgeoisie and the proletariat could easily be mapped to the relations between the whites and blacks, and since his voice was sparse in America, he found that the solidarity he knew resonated among the working classes abroad.
The fraternization with these international correspondents gave the discrimination targeted towards Robeson a unique blend as the paranoid state already ill-suited to see its own, saw the dangerous influences of foreign actors. How easy it abandons its own principles of enshrined liberties whenever a threat looms. It is curious how paranoid the powerful become, sacrificing all principles in desperation to gain any measure of security. The powerless can only arm themselves with the universal. Fortunately, we live in times where posterity will enshrine Robeson and his trials are a testament to the power of an individual armed with universals. It is something worth aspiring towards as the pursuit of better governance still is best understood as a shared struggle.
January 24, 2024
One reads Robeson's treatise on human rights and the struggle for justice and equality by Black Americans in the 1950s, when this was written, more as an historical document than a call to action which he intended at the time, though the conditions that motivated him can hardly be said to have disappeared. A luta continua, as the Mozambiquens said during their struggle for independence from colonial Portugal. What emerges throughout is his strength, courage, and conviction that social and political freedom and equality for Black Americans was in their own hands and must be first and last their responsibility and their decision. One sees how, at least on the level of public speaking (eloquence and inspiration), Robeson could have been an even stronger leader within the Black community than he was had he not been denied a passport and effectively cut off from his livelihood as an actor, singer, and public speaker. That story, described early in the book, shows how the federal government at that time, under the pressure both of the Cold War and the McCarthyist hysteria of the early-1950s, shamefully forbade Robeson from traveling overseas not so much for his staunch advocacy of civil rights for Black Americans (and resulting embarrassment for the U.S. government overseas) as it was for his unabashed support for and identification with the working class both inside the U.S. and internationally. He also, beginning during World War II, made a number of public statements lauding the social and economic progress of the Soviet Union. One is made aware through this that the public is always political.
June 16, 2021
An amazing snapshot of history spanning from 1860 to the 1950s. Paul Robeson's father escaped slavery by way of underground railroad at age sixteen. His mother was kind and loving and he respected his brothers. A picturesque perfect family.
Pleasantly surprised to find his father, two brothers, and he all made it into college and all graduated. Paul points out teachers who were respectful and caring towards him - incredibly heartwarming. One principal made his life hell in school and on the football field. Robeson rose above and succeeded in spite of manifest evil.
He lost everything when in 1949 he complimented the Soviet Union during his speech at the World Peace Conference in Paris. This was during the McCarthy era when being a red was unforgivable. Paul respectfully encourages all to have their own opinion, but in his view, socialism is the way to go.
When offered a Faustian Bargain to oppose The New Deal, he declined. An argument can be made that The New Deal invited the black community into socialism, which still plays out today with government subsidies.
Paul was vocally opposed to Jim Crow, as we all should be. Jim Crow is the separate but equal doctrine. Definitely separate; definitely NOT equal.
To be clear, theoretically, under Jim Crow laws blacks would have equal access to all that white folks enjoyed. In reality, nothing was equal and blacks were given the shaft.
And....theoretically, under socialism citizens would have equal access to all that everyone in the community enjoys. In reality.......
Can we admit to ourselves how socialism has historically played out? In Jim Crow era there was an ulterior agenda that wasn't readily admitted aloud. In socialism there is an ulterior agenda and we're not going hear it aloud. Is it fair to compare Jim Crow to socialism while reviewing Paul Robeson's book? There's a fine line and maybe I've crossed it, but I'm always surprised when people idealize concepts that have never been successful historically. Especially when enmeshed in a similar failed equality experiment.
Paul Robeson wrote this book to set the record straight about his recent history and about who he is at his core. Lovely book to read even though we disagree about socialism.
Pleasantly surprised to find his father, two brothers, and he all made it into college and all graduated. Paul points out teachers who were respectful and caring towards him - incredibly heartwarming. One principal made his life hell in school and on the football field. Robeson rose above and succeeded in spite of manifest evil.
He lost everything when in 1949 he complimented the Soviet Union during his speech at the World Peace Conference in Paris. This was during the McCarthy era when being a red was unforgivable. Paul respectfully encourages all to have their own opinion, but in his view, socialism is the way to go.
When offered a Faustian Bargain to oppose The New Deal, he declined. An argument can be made that The New Deal invited the black community into socialism, which still plays out today with government subsidies.
Paul was vocally opposed to Jim Crow, as we all should be. Jim Crow is the separate but equal doctrine. Definitely separate; definitely NOT equal.
To be clear, theoretically, under Jim Crow laws blacks would have equal access to all that white folks enjoyed. In reality, nothing was equal and blacks were given the shaft.
And....theoretically, under socialism citizens would have equal access to all that everyone in the community enjoys. In reality.......
Can we admit to ourselves how socialism has historically played out? In Jim Crow era there was an ulterior agenda that wasn't readily admitted aloud. In socialism there is an ulterior agenda and we're not going hear it aloud. Is it fair to compare Jim Crow to socialism while reviewing Paul Robeson's book? There's a fine line and maybe I've crossed it, but I'm always surprised when people idealize concepts that have never been successful historically. Especially when enmeshed in a similar failed equality experiment.
Paul Robeson wrote this book to set the record straight about his recent history and about who he is at his core. Lovely book to read even though we disagree about socialism.
March 24, 2024
Not an autobiography so much as a polemic in defence of the author’s freedom to travel, which had been revoked by the US government. Through this argument many key issues are brought to light - the utilisation of McCarthyism to squash civil rights, the unconstitutionality of segregation, the trade union movement’s role in civil rights. But also interesting is the focus on universality, specifically the universality of 1) the worker’s struggle, 2) the pentatonic scale, and 3) the author himself. A revocation of his passport is ludicrous when Robeson clearly belongs to the world.
Robeson is obviously an extraordinary figure, I’d argue even more so than this book reveals. Yes, his unwavering and uncritical support for the Soviet Union came through and was a bit of a sticking point - but the wider argument that the author should have freedom to hold and express his views without persecution is self-evident. A quick but worthwhile read.
Robeson is obviously an extraordinary figure, I’d argue even more so than this book reveals. Yes, his unwavering and uncritical support for the Soviet Union came through and was a bit of a sticking point - but the wider argument that the author should have freedom to hold and express his views without persecution is self-evident. A quick but worthwhile read.
December 17, 2021
One of the most important civil rights leaders that is often forgotten. This book is his own personal response to McCarthyite smears by the United States government. The State Department confiscated his passport barring him from traveling abroad when he was at the height of his international career as an actor and musician.
This book is personal and the writing is beautiful. How could he be such a great writer in addition to being a civil rights giant, an award winning singer and actor, and to top it all, accept to renounce his fame and money to stand up for his people? Paul Robeson was an exemplary leader who should be remembered like MLK and others.
This book is personal and the writing is beautiful. How could he be such a great writer in addition to being a civil rights giant, an award winning singer and actor, and to top it all, accept to renounce his fame and money to stand up for his people? Paul Robeson was an exemplary leader who should be remembered like MLK and others.
November 26, 2023
A compelling testimony from one of the towering figures of the 20th century. Written as the civil rights movement gathered momentum at the end of the 50s in the context of the global decolonization movement, it bears witness to the connection between civil rights and human rights at a moment when standing firm brought Robeson under intense fire from the implicitly fascist white supremacist right. A brilliant singer, actor, football player, and citizen of the world, Robeson should be celebrated along with Martin Luther King, Malcolm, W. E. B. Du Bois and all the other freedom fighters who kept their eyes on the prize.
January 27, 2023
Despite being so short I really loved reading Paul Robeson’s memoir. I don’t know if this makes sense or not but reading Here I Stand felt very much like listening to Paul Robeson sing. It felt so full of warmth and beauty and passion. If you’ve ever watched an interview of him or heard him sing you’ll understand what I’m talking about. I could practically hear every word off the page in that deep; friendly tone he was known for. Aside from being a well-beloved singer and actor, Robeson was a proud communist who consistently spoke out for the liberation of black people and the understanding that the history of how the capitalist West built its wealth was through colonization and imperialist extraction across the globe, the genocide of the indigenous and the enslavement of Africans. The fact that the son of a slave would become famous and then use said fame to condemn the oppression of black people and show love and affection towards the peoples of the USSR and China meant that he was doomed to be targeted by HUAC. This prevented him from traveling oversees and subsequently dampening his career as an artist but he refused to back down, and this book, published in 1958, was his way of doing just that.
It’s convenient that I read this and James Baldwin’s No Name in the Street around the same time. Just like Baldwin’s memoir, Here I Stand reads partly as a historical analysis on the politics of the time rather than a mere deep dive into the particulars of their life. I’d recommend reading both congruently because it allows you to see the through line connecting earlier black politics of the early to mid 1900s to the politics of the 1960-70s that Baldwin largely reflects on. Aside from my general love of Robeson, I think the reason why I appreciate this book so much is because of the time period it focuses on. So much of our understanding of “radical” history revolves around the 1960s onward. Of course that makes sense given it was a time of counterculture and revolution all readily available to witness with a mere click of a TV remote, but the revolutions and movements of the early-mid 20th century laid the groundwork for what was to come later and this is displayed in Robeson’s recounting of labor movements he witnessed in Europe, communist and left wing fronts in fighting the rising tide of fascism in the lead up to WWII, and in his advocacy for African independence that got him in trouble with the British government, “The British Intelligence came one day to caution me about the political meaning of my activities. For the question loomed of itself: If African culture was what I insisted it was, what happens then to the claim that it would take 1,000 years for Africans to be capable of self-rule?"
I also loved hearing him describe his childhood and his family background. He starts out his memoir by saying, “The glory of my boyhood years was my father. I loved him like no one in all the world.” You truly get to know how much he valued his father and his siblings and how even in their passing he saw a proud and survivalist spirit of black people reflected in his memories of them. “Some might say that Reed did not turn out as well as the other Robeson children… Reed is dead now. He won no honors in classroom, pulpit or platform. Yet I remember him with love. Restless, rebellious, scoffing at conventions, defiant of the white man’s law—I’ve known many Negroes like Reed. I see them everyday…they seek a way out for themselves; alone, they pound with their fists and fury against walls that only the shoulders of the many can topple. “Don’t ever take low,” was the lesson Reed taught me. “Stand up to them and hit back harder than they hit you!” When the many have learned that lesson, everything will be different and then the fiery ones like Reed will be able to live out their lives in peace and no one will have cause to frown on them.” The expression of love and pride for his family and for black people sits side by side his indictment of the harsh realities of white supremacy in America.
Ultimately, Here I Stand is a searing indictment of the white supremacy and exploitation that’s inherently baked into America and the capitalist West writ large. The idea that a black man whose father was a slave would have to answer to anyone in the US government about his communism or his affinity for the Soviet Union would be laughable if wasn’t so goddamn offensive. The fact that he felt he needed to write this book in order to fight the slander against him, and that his legacy as a renowned black artist and activist has been sidelined in popular memory just shows how much of our understanding of black history has been carefully curated to fit within a respectable liberal framework. There’s a reason why the marxist politics of Paul Robeson among many other historical black figures aren’t well known unless you read their memoirs or listen to specific speeches. I know that for myself, learning about the socialist and communist politics of black figures over the years helped me re-examine the things I had been taught about our history and why. It made me angry that I had been given a revisionist history about my own people from school, from Hollywood, from the news. It also made me excited to reintroduce myself to these people and learn from them. I highly recommend reading this memoir. It’s important that we let their voices be heard after being silenced for so long.
It’s convenient that I read this and James Baldwin’s No Name in the Street around the same time. Just like Baldwin’s memoir, Here I Stand reads partly as a historical analysis on the politics of the time rather than a mere deep dive into the particulars of their life. I’d recommend reading both congruently because it allows you to see the through line connecting earlier black politics of the early to mid 1900s to the politics of the 1960-70s that Baldwin largely reflects on. Aside from my general love of Robeson, I think the reason why I appreciate this book so much is because of the time period it focuses on. So much of our understanding of “radical” history revolves around the 1960s onward. Of course that makes sense given it was a time of counterculture and revolution all readily available to witness with a mere click of a TV remote, but the revolutions and movements of the early-mid 20th century laid the groundwork for what was to come later and this is displayed in Robeson’s recounting of labor movements he witnessed in Europe, communist and left wing fronts in fighting the rising tide of fascism in the lead up to WWII, and in his advocacy for African independence that got him in trouble with the British government, “The British Intelligence came one day to caution me about the political meaning of my activities. For the question loomed of itself: If African culture was what I insisted it was, what happens then to the claim that it would take 1,000 years for Africans to be capable of self-rule?"
I also loved hearing him describe his childhood and his family background. He starts out his memoir by saying, “The glory of my boyhood years was my father. I loved him like no one in all the world.” You truly get to know how much he valued his father and his siblings and how even in their passing he saw a proud and survivalist spirit of black people reflected in his memories of them. “Some might say that Reed did not turn out as well as the other Robeson children… Reed is dead now. He won no honors in classroom, pulpit or platform. Yet I remember him with love. Restless, rebellious, scoffing at conventions, defiant of the white man’s law—I’ve known many Negroes like Reed. I see them everyday…they seek a way out for themselves; alone, they pound with their fists and fury against walls that only the shoulders of the many can topple. “Don’t ever take low,” was the lesson Reed taught me. “Stand up to them and hit back harder than they hit you!” When the many have learned that lesson, everything will be different and then the fiery ones like Reed will be able to live out their lives in peace and no one will have cause to frown on them.” The expression of love and pride for his family and for black people sits side by side his indictment of the harsh realities of white supremacy in America.
Ultimately, Here I Stand is a searing indictment of the white supremacy and exploitation that’s inherently baked into America and the capitalist West writ large. The idea that a black man whose father was a slave would have to answer to anyone in the US government about his communism or his affinity for the Soviet Union would be laughable if wasn’t so goddamn offensive. The fact that he felt he needed to write this book in order to fight the slander against him, and that his legacy as a renowned black artist and activist has been sidelined in popular memory just shows how much of our understanding of black history has been carefully curated to fit within a respectable liberal framework. There’s a reason why the marxist politics of Paul Robeson among many other historical black figures aren’t well known unless you read their memoirs or listen to specific speeches. I know that for myself, learning about the socialist and communist politics of black figures over the years helped me re-examine the things I had been taught about our history and why. It made me angry that I had been given a revisionist history about my own people from school, from Hollywood, from the news. It also made me excited to reintroduce myself to these people and learn from them. I highly recommend reading this memoir. It’s important that we let their voices be heard after being silenced for so long.
March 9, 2021
His optimistic attitude is probably what struck me the most. He truly believes in the power of the Black & working class people of America. Sad to me that we haven't made as much progress as he had hoped for, but definitely inspired some hope for the future. He also just has such unique experiences as a black man/celebrity/communist who is very active in the international community. Such a good read.
July 27, 2022
A short but concise synopsis of his life and the struggles he went through in this country. Much of what he went through is still going on today. If you are Black and speak out against this government you will get black balled, these so called leaders that they put there for us but are really not for Black people is still going on. I would suggest to get this book as a start to learn about Mr. Roberson.
April 13, 2018
"Here I Stand" is written by by Paul Robeson. The author was an infamous African American singer who later became activist against the "white supremacy" in US. He has written about how the world leaders manipulate the common man to serve their own interests, citing and connecting histories of approx. all the nations. The comments on nations' diplomacy makes the book interesting.
December 28, 2022
I love Paul Robeson for his bravery and outspokenness. He was doing things no current artist(s) dare to do. Of all the beautiful and eloquent words he wrote in this book my genuinely favorite line is: “The time for pussyfooting is long gone.” He was and continues to be right. We /will/ achieve collective action!
July 3, 2023
A well written book about the struggles of the Negro and the alternate solutions that Paul Robeson presented to no only the United States but also the World. Paul R also encountered serious consequences by the United States government on being outspoken about the injustices suffered by the Negoes. An early speaker of civil rights you rarely hear of him when talking about Civil Rights
July 28, 2024
Not a memoir nor a manifesto as such, this is effectively Robeson putting into words what the McCarthy regime prevented him from speaking publicly and around the world. Passionate, fiercely intelligent and engaging (like the man himself), this is a very accessible introduction to the thoughts of a true 20th-century Renaissance man.
August 19, 2024
Paul Robeson is DEFINITELY an unsung hero in the Black community. The journey he went through after leaving Rutgers in music and acting industry. Being truthful and very real in this country means nothing with racist fucks who could care less about doing what's right in the country. He was punished.
November 15, 2025
An American hero whose words should be known to the world of today. An artist of the people who was not celebrated or respected as he should have been, yet his positions will remain foundational for the contemporary collectives that continue to fight for the true fruition of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
February 25, 2019
Fortunately or unfortunately timeless, many of the ideas and concerns Robeson was dealing with and commenting on when writing this book are still not only valid but current today. It's a great read, still insightful despite the time that has passed since first published.
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June 24, 2024Changing the world has a price, but not a value. Nevertheless, Paul Robeson made his choice, and wrote this manifesto.
Full review: https://medium.com/cinesuffragette/bo...
Full review: https://medium.com/cinesuffragette/bo...
October 21, 2025
This was a really powerful memoir of an incredible person who was blacklisted by McCarthyism. The style it was written felt conversational in the best way. It was educational but also personal, well-researched with a blend of his own experiences.
July 28, 2018
Wonderfully eloquent, insightful and passionate.
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