International Conference

Conception: Susan Neiman, Potsdam

Speakers include Breyten Breytenbach, Paris; Margaret Burnham, Chicago; Peter Carroll, Los Angeles; Korey Garibaldi, South Bend; Victor Grossman, Berlin; Nell Painter, Newark; Susan Robeson, New York; Albie Sachs, Capetown; Penny M. Von Eschen, Charlottesville; Daniel G. Williams, Swansea; Benjamin Zachariah, Potsdam.

When W.E.B. Dubois called Paul Robeson “the best-known American on earth”, he wasn’t exaggerating. The activist and artist whose own father was born in slavery rose to become the most famous performer in the world. His songs and films were played on every continent, and his passionate engagement for justice and peace inspired many millions. 27 countries, from Mexico to China, organized celebrations for his 60th birthday; they were held in four different cities in India alone. Yet his socialist activism led the United States government to withdraw his passport and prevent him from speaking or performing for many years, and when he is remembered today it is as a forerunner of the American Civil Rights Movement. This he surely was, but his deep commitment to international solidarity is often forgotten in an age that is wary of anything which suggests ties to socialism. By inviting speakers and singers from many countries who will discuss Robeson’s importance for Wales, East Germany, South Africa, Spain, India as well as for the United States, we intend not only to honor his memory, but to inspire others to take up his spirit.