Paul Robeson, \”Negro-Jewish\” Unity, and the \”Jewish People\’s Movement\” in the 1940s: Legacy and Challenges

Four leading historians will explore Paul Robeson’s connections to the Jewish community, left-wing political movements, and the Soviet Union in the 1940s. Robeson, who graduated from Rutgers in 1919, was a standout student-athlete who became a world-renowned actor and activist. He is one of the university’s most venerated alumni for his work in theater and film, and as an outspoken advocate for social justice. The panelists are: David Greenberg, professor of history and journalism and media studies, Rutgers University; Tony Michels, George L. Mosse Professor of American Jewish History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; Ronald Radosh, professor emeritus of history at the City University of New York; and Jennifer Young, a public historian.