保罗·罗伯逊 (Paul Robeson,1898-1976),美国著名男低音歌唱家、演员、社会活动家。早年在穆维尔高级学校求学期间,就曾参加过莎士比亚戏剧的演出。1923年毕业于哥伦比亚大学法律系,此后一直从事戏剧演出和电影拍摄等活动。
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Paul Robeson
Federal Bureau of Investigation
World War Two
the Soviet Union
Nazi
By the late 1920s, Paul Robeson had become the most highly praised black actor and singer of the time. During the 1930s, he became involved in national and international movements for peace, equal rights for black Americans, and better labor conditions. He traveled around the world singing his songs to support these struggles. However, his friendship with the Soviet Union brought strong opposition from conservative groups in the United States. Many people in the United States opposed Robeson's political beliefs as too liberal or extreme. As early as 1941, American government agencies, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, reportedly had targeted him as dangerous. They considered his political activism to be against the best interests of the American government. During World War Two, the United States and the Soviet Union were allies fighting against Nazi Germany. Robeson recorded several Russian songs to honor the Soviet people's defense of their land against the Nazi invasion. These recordings were broadcast in the Soviet Union. Many Soviet soldiers were said to have heard Paul Robeson's voice before going into battle. This is one of those songs. It is called "Native Land".