Howard Bryant on Jackie Robinson, Paul Robeson & The 1949 HUAC Testimony

In 1949, Jackie Robinson, baseball's barrier-breaking hero, was asked to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee against Paul Robeson, one of the most famous Black men in the world. They never met. They never shook hands. But America placed them in opposition to each other during the Second Red Scare.Award-winning  journalist and author Howard Bryant joins us to discuss his powerful new book "Kings and Pawns: Jackie Robinson and Paul Robeson in America." This conversation explores one of the most overlooked chapters in Black history the 1945-1953 era when the Cold War and the fight for civil rights collided.Bryant reveals how Paul Robeson, an All-American football player, Columbia Law graduate, internationally acclaimed singer, actor, and civil rights activist was systematically erased from American history. His passport was revoked, his income destroyed, and the Black establishment turned against him.At the center of this story is Jackie Robinson, thrust into becoming a political spokesperson simply because he was great at baseball. Branch Rickey used Robinson to publicly denounce Robeson, a testimony Robinson would later regret. By the end of his life, Robinson said he could no longer stand for the flag.In this episode:Who was Paul Robeson and why was he erased from history?The 1949 HUAC testimony that pitted Jackie Robinson against Paul RobesonHow the FBI, Second Red Scare, and Cold War destroyed Robeson's careerWhy the NAACP, Thurgood Marshall, and Black leadership abandoned RobesonBranch Rickey's role in manipulating Jackie RobinsonW.E.B. Du Bois's unwavering support of Paul RobesonThe Peekskill riots and passport revocationParallels between 1949 and 2026Jackie Robinson's political evolution and regretsHoward Bryant's research and writing processGet the book: "Kings and Pawns: Jackie Robinson and Paul Robeson in America" by Howard Bryant https://www.harpercollins.com/products/kings-and-pawns-howard-bryantFollow Howard Bryant: Website: https://howardbryantbooks.com/ Instagram: @howardbryantbooks Facebook: Howard Bryant OfficialDownload the Bookum App: https://www.bookumapp.comThis Podcast is to brought you by Bookum - The book communities NEW and BEST way to host dynamic online book clubs. Download the App and Start your Book club today at www.bookumapp.com Catch all of conversations live on the Bookum App Nooks!