The Volunteer, June 2009

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Vol. XXVI, No. 2 June 20

FOUNDED BY THE VETERANS OF THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN BRIGADE

ROBESON in SPAIN

...and that government of the people,by the people, and for the people,shall not perish from the earth.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN


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Map of Spain, c. 1938 from Alvah Bessie and Albert Prago, eds., Our Fight: Writings by Veterans o the Abraham Lincoln Brigade: Spai

1936-1939 (New York: Monthly Review Press, 1987). Photo of Paul Robeson is from the National Archives.

Paul Robeson(1898-1976)

The artist must elect to fght or

reedom or or slavery. I have made

my choice. I had no alternative.

Paul Robeson, 1937

The Arican-American Paul

Robeson, a large man with a deep voice, achieved great dis-tinction as an athlete, singer, actor, scholar, and supporter o

social justice. Born in Princeton, New Jersey, Robeson gradu-

ated rom Rutgers University with honors. He excelled in

sports (All-American in ootball). He graduated rom

Columbia Law School in 1923 and married Eslanda Cordozo

Goode. He won ame as an actor on stage and screen. In the

popular musical Showboat, Robeson sang Ol Man River.

The rise o ascism in Europe in the 1930s awakened

Robesons political act ivism. He sang beneft concerts to

assist Jewish reugees rom Hitlers Germany and to sup-

port Spains democracy during the Spanish Civil War. Hismounting concern over ascist Germany's and Italys direct

support o the Spanish insurgents, and the western democ-

racies reusal to assist the legitimate government, led him

to visit the war-torn country in January 1938. He called his

1938 trip to Spain a major turning point in my lie. He

became an outspoken critic o U.S. segregation and

lynching. In 1939, he recorded Ballad or Americans, a

work that celebrated diversity and multiculturalism.

Robesons demand or equality and his opposition to

the Cold War in the 1940s angered conservatives, who

called Robeson a Communist. His reusal to be silent led

violent attacks at a concert in Peekskill, New York, in 1949

His criticism o the Korean War led the U.S. government t

revoke his passport (later overturned by the Supreme

Court), which limited his travels until 1956. He died aterlong illness at the age o 77.

Robeson in Spain

Illustrated by Joshua Brown

Written by Joshua Brown and Peter N. Carroll

Designed by Richard Bermack

Robeson in Spain is a special issue ofThe Volunteer,published by the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives, 799

Broadway, Suite 341, New York NY 10003. We are grateful

for encouragement and financial support from The Puffin

Foundation, Ltd., The Bay Area Paul Robeson CentennialCommittee, Dr. Steve Jonas, Joan and Allan Fisch, David

Cane, Michael Organek, John and Jane Brickman, and Paul

Robeson, Jr. For information and review copies, contact:

[email protected].

Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives, 2009


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The Spanish Civil WarThe Spanish Civil War began as a rebellion, led by

General Francisco Franco, against the legally elected

Republican government in July 1936. The rebels opposed

liberal changes, such as land reorms and provisions or

womens education, legal divorce, and the right to vote. In

large cities, such as Madrid and Barcelona, civilian militia

successully resisted the military uprising, but Francoappealed to Europes ascist dictators, Hitler in Germany

and Mussolini in Italy, who sent armed orces to Spain. In

1937 German planes bombed the town o Guernica, an

atrocity that inspired Pablo Picassos most amous paintin

The Spanish Civil War continued until April 1939, when th

victorious generals captured Madrid.

The Abraham Lincoln Brigade

European democratic countries eared that their inter

vention in the Spanish Civil War might provoke a second

world war. To avoid that, the international communityadopted a policy known as non-intervention, denying a

to both the legal Spanish government and the rebels.

Starved or assistance, the Spanish Republic then appeale

or voluntary help. This appeal was supported by the com

munist-led Soviet Union.

Volunteers rom more than 50 nations, numbering

around 35,000 men and women, went to Spain, orming th

International Brigades against ascism. To enter Spain, U.S

volunteers had to dey State Department orders that

stamped all passports with the warning NOT VALID FO

TRAVEL IN SPAIN and pretend to be tourists. Nearly3,000 volunteers rom the United States served in the

Abraham Lincoln Brigade or the American Medical Burea

to Save Spanish Democracy. About one-third o the

Americans died in Spain.

African Americans in the Spanish Civil War

About 90 Arican Americans volunteered in Spain,

including Oliver Law, rom Chicago, who eventually com-

manded the Abraham Lincoln battalion until he was kille

in 1937. The only Arican-American woman was Salaria

Kea, an Ohio nurse. The Abraham Lincoln Brigade was th

frst ully integrated army. Black volunteers were surprise

and delighted to mix completely with whites without wor

rying about race prejudice or discrimination. Spain was

the frst place I ever elt like a ree man, said soldier Tom

Page. Later, during World War II, Arican Americans had

serve in U.S. units that were segregated by race.

SPANISH CIVIL WAR &ABRAHAM LINCOLN BRIGADE

THE WORLD

1936

July: Franco leads military rebellionagainst the elected SpanishRepublican government.Hitler and Mussolini provide militaryaid to Francos Nationalists.August: Soviet Union agrees to pro-vide aid to Republican Spain.

september: Major European powersform a non-intervention committee,agreeing to support neither side.OctOber: U.S. President Rooseveltpresents quarantine speech, warn-ing of an epidemic of lawlessnessaround the world.

December: December 26, first contin-gent of U.S. volunteers leaves NewYork City for Spain.

1937

JAnuAry: Medical Bureau to AidSpanish Democracy sails for Spain.

U.S. Congress extends NeutralityActs, barring U.S. involvement in

Spanish Civil War.FebruAry: U.S. volunteers name them-selves the Abraham Lincoln Battalionand see first action at Jarama.April: Basque town of Guernicadestroyed by German bombers.July: Captain Oliver Law is appointedcommander of the Lincoln Battalion,first African American to leadAmerican troops in battle.

Picassos Guernicaexhibited at ParisWorlds Fair.

December: Battle of Teruel begins. Italy withdraws from the League ofNations.Japanese forces bomb and occupyNanking, causing large civiliancasualties.

1938

JAnuAry:U.S. volunteers participatein battles around Teruel.

mArch: Germany annexes Austria intothe Third Reich.

July: The Lincolns join in the Ebrooffensive and remain in action untilSeptember.september: Premier Juan Negrnannounces withdrawal of all foreignsoldiers from the Republics armies,hoping to pressure Franco to do thesame for German and Italian volun-teers. Franco ignores the gesture.

Munich Conference provides forGerman occupation of portions ofCzechoslovakia.

OctOber: International Brigadebegins to leave Spain.

nOvember: Kristallnacht: Jewish syna-gogues and businesses destroyed

throughout Germany.1939

JAnuAry: Barcelona falls to Franco.Lincoln veterans hold public rallies urgingU.S. to lift embargo on arms for Spain.FebruAry: Franco's troops takeCatalonia.Britain and France recognize the legit-imacy of Franco government.mArch: Madrid surrenders to Franco. Germany occupies Czechoslovakia.

september: German armies invadePoland, beginning World War II.

Spanish Civil War Timeline

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Ol Man River

Compare and contrast the two sets o lyrics to the song Ol

Man River. How do they dier?

What do Paul Robesons new lyrics suggest about the eelings

o Arican Americans in the U.S. during the 1930s?

Why did Paul Robeson change the words o the song?

Spain and the International Crisis

Why did Paul Robeson decide to go to Spain during the

Spanish Civil War?

Which countries supported the military uprising led by

General Francisco Franco against the elected SpanishRepublican government? Why?

Which countries supported the elected Republican govern-

ment? Why?

Which side did Paul Robeson support?

What is ascism? Why did Paul Robeson oppose ascism?

What did the Spanish Republic stand or? Why did Paul

Robeson support the Spanish Republic?

How did the civil war in Spain aect that nations civilian

population?

What aspects o the Spanish Civil War suggest that Spain

was the frst battlefeld o World War II?

The Spanish Republican leader Dolores Ibarruri said, It is

better to die on your eet than to live on your knees. What

did she mean? Do you agree with her statement?

Are all wars worth fghting? Are any wars worth fghting?

Which, i any?

The United States and theSpanish Civil War

What position did the U.S. government take on the Spanish

Civil War?

Why were U.S. passports stamped NOT VALID FOR TRAVEL

IN SPAIN?

Do you believe the government should prohibit the travel o

citizens to other countries?

Which countries are U.S. citizens prohibited rom visiting

today? Why?

In October 1937, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said th

the international community should quarantine aggresso

countries. What did he mean? Was that a realistic proposal?

American Volunteers in theSpanish Civil War

Why did some Americans view the Spanish Civil War as an

American problem?

When, i ever, do you think it is appropriate or civilians o on

country to become involved in the problems o another

nation?

Why did 3,000 Americans volunteer to deend the Spanish

Republic against the military rebellion? Did Arican

Americans have particular reasons to volunteer?

Do you think it was appropriate or U.S. citizens to ignoretheir governments policies in order to volunteer to fght?

I you disagree with the U.S. governments oreign policy,

how can you express your objections?

How could civilians assist the Spanish Republic without par

ticipating in the civil war?

What does the lie o Captain Oliver Law reveal about U.S.

race relations in the 1930s?

What does the career o Salaria Kea suggest about the statu

o Arican American women in the 1930s?

Why would the U.S. volunteers in Spain appreciate Paul

Robesons visit in 1938?

DiscussionTopics


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SourcesRobeson in Spain is based on a num-

ber o textual and visual primary

and secondary sources, including

materials located in the AbrahamLincoln Brigade Archives in the

Tamiment Library at New YorkUniversity. In addition to the books

listed in the bibliography, our storyrelied on Eslanda Goode Robesons

Spanish diary, excerpts o which

were published as Journey intoSpain in Alvah Bessie, ed., The

Heart of Spain: Anthology of Fiction,

Non-Fiction and Poetry (1952). We

wish to thank our ellow members

o the ALBA Board o Governors

or their help, and to acknowledgethe gracious assistance o Joellen El

Bashir, Curator o Manuscripts at

Howard Universitys Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, where

the Paul and Eslanda Robeson

Collection is housed. Any histori-cal account involves narrative

choices and requires interpretation,

and graphic narratives have their

own particular emphases and limi-tations; the choices made in this

account are solely the responsibil-

ity o the authors.

BibliographySheila Tully Boyle and AndrewBunie, Paul Robeson: The Years of

Promise and Achievement (2001).

Lloyd L. Brown, The Young PaulRobeson: On My Journey Now (1997).

Peter N. Carroll, The Odyssey of theAbraham Lincoln Brigade: Americans

in the Spanish Civil War (1994).

Peter N. Carroll, Michael Nash,

and Melvin Small, eds., The Good

Fight Continues: World War II Lette

From the Abraham Lincoln Brigade(2006).

Danny Duncan Collum, ed., AfricAmericans in the Spanish Civil War

"This Ain't Ethiopia, but It'll Do"(1992).

Martin Duberman, Paul Robeson

(1989).

Helen Graham, The Spanish Civil

War: A Very Short Introduction(2005).

Paul Robeson, Here I Stand (1958).

Susan Robeson, The Whole World iHis Hands: A Pictorial Biography of

Paul Robeson (1981).

Sterling Stuckey, Going through the

Storm: The Influence of AfricanAmerican Art in History (1993).

Additional information, pictures, and other supplementary

material about Paul Robeson, the Spanish Civil War, and the

American volunteers is available on the Abraham Lincoln

Brigade Archives website at http://www.alba-valb.org/

resources/robeson.

Selected Web Resources

Paul Robeson Biography (Wikipedia):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Robeson

Paul Robeson Chronology (Bay Area Paul Robeson Centennial Committee):

http://bayarearobeson.org/Chronology.htm

Paul Robeson Timeline (PBS American Masters):

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/robeson_p_timeline_lash.html

Paul Robeson on the Web (Princeton Public Library):

http://www.princetonlibrary.org/robeson/links.html

Paul Robeson sings or Republican soldiers near the battlefelds o Teruel, courtesy o the

Paul Robeson Archives.


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About ALBAThe Abraham Lincoln BrigadeArchives (ALBA) is a non-proft

educational organization dedicated

to promoting public awareness,

research, and discussion aboutthe Spanish Civil War and the

American volunteers who riskedtheir lives to fght ascism in Spain.

Using its continually expanding

archival collections in exhibitions,publications, perormances, and

educational programs, ALBA pre-

serves the legacy o progressive

activism and commitment o theAbraham Lincoln Brigade as an

inspiration or present and uturegenerations.

The work o ALBA is to bring

the history o the Spanish Civil

War, and the ideals that motivatedthe International Brigaders, to a

larger and more general public o

all ages. Our mission is to maintainthe archives as a living, breathing,

inspirational and intimate collec-

tion o personal, as well as

political, histories.

About theALBA Institutefor EducationThe ALBA Institute or Educationuses the Abraham Lincoln BrigadeArchives at New York UniversitysTamiment Library as a learning

laboratory or educating highschool teachers and students on theuse o primary documents andmultimedia resources and to con-vey the lessons learned rom theAmerican volunteers in theSpanish Civil War in the 1930s:progressivism, activism, and theimpact o grassroots organizing.

ALBAs Institute programs orhigh school teachers bring togethergroups o 15-20 teachers or two-day or week-long seminars aimedat introducing educators to theresources available or integratingthe history o the Spanish Civil

War into their social studies, litera-ture, and Spanish language classes.Seminar sessions are devoted todeveloping lesson plans and cur-ricular units based on archivalmaterials. Teachers participate inhands-on workshops conducted byleading experts on the history andculture o the Spanish Civil War.

The AuthorsJoshua Brown is executive director o

the American Social History Project

and proessor o history at the City

University o New York Graduate

Center. He is author oBeyond the

Lines: Pictorial Reporting, Everyday Life,

and the Crisis of Gilded Age America

(Caliornia, 2002) and co-author o

Forever Free: The Story of Emancipation

and Reconstruction (Knop, 2005). He is

visual editor o the noted textbookWho Built America? Working People and

the Nations History (3rd ed., Bedord/

St. Martins, 2008), and he co-wrote/

directed its accompanying CD-ROMs

and documentaries. He has served as

executive producer on numerous

award-winning Web projects, includ-

ingHistory Matters, The Lost Museum,

The September 11 Digital Archive, and

Picturing U.S. History. His illustration

and cartoons, including his weekly

commentary on contemporary politi

Life during Wartime, appear regularly

in print and online. For more go to

http://www.joshbrownnyc.com.

Peter N. Carroll is the author and ed

tor o 17 books, including The Odysse

of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade:

Americans in the Spanish Civil War

(Stanord, 1994), The Good Fight

Continues: World War II Letters from th

Abraham Lincoln Brigade (NYU, 2006),

and Facing Fascism: New York and the

Spanish Civil War (NYU, 2007). He is

chair o the Board o Governors o thAbraham Lincoln Brigade Archives

(ALBA) and co-curator o two

museum exhibitions: Shouts From the

Wall: Posters of the Spanish Civil War

(with Cary Nelson) and They Still

Draw Pictures: Childrens Art in Wartim

From the Spanish Civil War to Kosovo

(with Anthony L. Geist). He is the ed

tor oThe Volunteer, journal o the

Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives.

He serves as a trustee o the PufnNation Prize or creative citizenship

and teaches history at Stanord

University. He is the author o a

poetry volume, Riverborne: A

Mississippi Requiem (Higganum Hill,

2008).

For more information:

The Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives

799 Broadway, Suite 341

New York, New York 10003

(212) 674-5398

[email protected]


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Photos from the Abraham Lincoln

Brigade Archives, Tamiment Library,

New York University. Clockwise fromtop: Theodore Gibbs (Fredericka Martin

Collection), Claude Pringle (th

International Brigade Photo Unit

Collection), Salaria Kea (Small

Photographic Collections), Paul Robeson

at VALB 5th Reunion (VALB Photographs

Collection), Oliver Law (Small

Photographic Collections), and Oliver

L ith th t i (S ll

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The Volunteer, June 2009