Paul Robeson, singer and activist

On Sunday 21 February 2010 I’m Still the Same Paul was on BBC Radio 3.  Music and human rights come together in the person of Paul Robeson, played by Lenny Henry.  Robeson was one of the foremost black performers in the world and also famous as a civil rights activist.  In the programme a fictional FBI investigator looks at the case of Paul Robson during the years 1950 to 1961. It was in 1950 that his passport was taken away from him as a punishment for his political activities.  In 1958 after it was given back he settled in Britain.  The conflict with the authorities was part of the witch-hunt against communists.  Paul Robeson was also an apologist for Stalin and Amnesty supporters may well feel that he was wrong there.

On the Belfast and Beyond Blog see post by Patrick Corrigan about Pete Seeger at 90.  Seeger is another musician-campaigner.