Cold War Civil Rights Quotes

“Robeson continued to speak out. In 1950 he criticized President Truman’s decision to send troops to Korea, arguing that “if we don’t stop our armed adventure in Korea today—tomorrow it will be Africa.” At this point, the State Department and the FBI took action. The State Department issued a “stop notice” at all ports to prevent Robeson from leaving the country. J. Edgar Hoover sent out an urgent call to FBI agents to find Robeson. Robeson was asked to surrender his passport, but he refused, leading the State Department to inform the Immigration and Naturalization Service that Robeson’s passport was invalid and that he should not be allowed to leave the country. State Department officials indicated that the reason for their action was that “Robeson’s travel abroad at this time would be contrary to the best interests of the United States.” His “frequent criticism of the treatment of blacks in the United States should not be aired in foreign countries,” they explained. “It was a family affair.”33 The State Department also barred Robeson from entering Canada, where a passport was not required, leading Robeson to host a concert at the Peace Arch at the Canadian border. While well attended by Canadians, this concert and others failed to draw the American crowds expected, and blacklisting seriously interfered with Robeson’s ability to perform and to earn a living within the United States for many years. His international popularity meant that he was always a big draw abroad, but without a passport Robeson was exiled by his own country from his international audience.34”
― Mary L. Dudziak, Cold War Civil Rights: Race and the Image of American Democracy