Today, Tuesday, May 18th 2021 at 3PM Eric Mann will be hosting a wonderful fundraising fund drive for Voices from the Frontlines and KPFK. He will be talking about the wonderful life of Paul Robeson, heroic figure in the Black Liberation, Pan Africanist, and pro-communist movements and yes, the brutal repression of the United States and again Robeson’s heroic resistance that eventually cost him his life.

There is a truly wonderful 4 DVD set of some of Robeson’s greatest films, rescuing him from some of Hollywood’s degrading roles. Borderline, Emperor Jones, Sanders of the River, Jericho, the Proud Valley, and Native Land. It also includes the documentary of his life, Paul Robeson: Tribute to an Artist, narrated by Sidney Poitier, that traces his development through the changes of lyrics to his most trademark song, Old Man River, once a degrading picture of Black submission into his new lyrics of Black defiance. The contribution of $250 will get you this amazing premium but also help KPFK that is such a great gift to the city and society.

My wife Lian Hurst Mann and I have purchased this premium several times. Please get at least one copy and consider also getting another copy for donation to a public school with a significant Black population.

See you, or at least, hear you Today at 3 PM.
Eric Mann

Are you listening? Call in to (818) 985-5735 to contribute during the Voices from the frontlines 3pm hour. Send your comments, questions, and suggestions to eric@voicesfromthefrontlines.com.

Listen to Voices from the Frontlines Today at 3PM PST on KPFK 90.7FM OR click below to stream the show live on KPFK.

Read Eric’s Review

Paul Robeson (1896-1976) was a true giant of a man, a Black man, living in a world of white racist imperialist Lilliputians. Paul Robeson, whose father was a runaway enslaved African, was a brilliant baritone singer and one of the leading Black Liberation figures of his time—and all-time! Robeson was an all American Football player at Rutgers University, a Phi Beta Kappa, winner of the oratory contest every year, a graduate of Columbia Law School (where he decided he did want to practice inside the U.S. racist legal system) and a leading figure in the Pan African anti-colonial movements. He was a gifted, transcendent singer, stage, and film performer, and was among the most revered and celebrated figures in U.S. society during the Great War Against Fascism where the United States, out of necessity, allied with the Soviet Union and had to pretend it was against fascism.

Robeson was also a close ally of the Communist Party and his statements after World War II continued his lifetime anti-fascist pro-Soviet politics.

”We in America do not forget that it is on the backs of the poor whites of Europe…and on the backs of millions of black people the wealth of America has been acquired. And we are resolved that it shall be distributed in an equitable manner among all of our children and we don’t want any hysterical stupidity about our participating in a war against anybody no matter whom. We are determined to fight for peace. We do not wish to fight the Soviet Union.”

“It is unthinkable that American Negros would go to war on behalf of those who have oppressed us for generations against the Soviet Union which in one generation has lifted our people to full human dignity.”

But now the U.S., pivoting on a dime, moved to a war against communism, going back to its racist, reactionary roots. What followed was one of the most brutal, racist, and imperialist attacks on a great man as part of the great anti-communist rampage in the U.S. and Europe after World War II where fascists were rehabilitated and communists were persecuted and prosecuted.  Robeson’s defiant remarks in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee set the standard for the most courageous remarks in front of a U.S. lynch mob.

Eric Mann will give a talk on Wednesday May 19th at 6pm at the Strategy and Soul Block Party. His talk is entitled: Black Red Giants—Paul Robeson and the Black Communist Tradition. He will situate Robeson’s life in the world anti-colonial struggle, the fight of Black people in the U.S. for self-determination, the great battle between communism on one side and fascism and U.S. imperialism on the other, and our responsibility to learn  and apply this history to our organizing work today.  He will explain the CPUSA’s brilliant synthesis between socialism, anti-imperialism, and Black nationalism and the great Black leaders who were members or friends of the party—Cyril Briggs, Harry Haywood, Claudia Jones, Louise Thompson Patterson, William L. Patterson, Ben Davis, W.E.B. DuBois, and yes, Paul Robeson.

Celebrate the life of Paul Robeson!

Celebrate the Lives of Black communists!

Self-determination for the Black Nation!

Fight anti-communism in the movement today!

Stop U.S. wars against the Peoples Republic of China, Russian Federation, the Republic of Cuba, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and the Islamic Republic of Iran!

U.S. withdraw all aide for Colombia—U.N. sanctions against the U.S. for complicity in genocide!

Stop Israeli Attacks and Genocide Against the Palestinian people—stop Israeli bombing and ground troops against Gaza and other areas of Palestinian life!

Stop the MTA Apartheid Bus Pass—Stop MTA Attacks on Black Passengers!

No Police on MTA buses and trains

No Police in the LAUSD Schools!

Visit www.TheStrategyCenter.org to RSVP for this Virtual Event