Editing Paul Robeson (section)

===1933–1937: Ideological awakening===
In 1933, Robeson played the role of Jim in the London production of ''Chillun'', virtually gratis,<ref>{{harvnb|Boyle|Bunie|2005|pp=271–274}}; {{harvnb|Duberman|1989|p=167}}, {{harvnb|Robeson|2001|p=204}}.</ref> then returned to the United States to star as Brutus in the film [[The Emperor Jones (1933 film)|''The Emperor Jones'']]{{snd}}the first film to feature an African American in a starring role, "a feat not repeated for more than two decades in the U.S."{{sfn|Boyle|Bunie|2005|p=269–271}}<ref name="ReferenceC">{{harvnb|Nollen|2010|pp=41–42}}; cf. {{harvnb|Robeson|2001|p=207}}; {{harvnb|Duberman|1989|pp=168–169}}</ref> His acting in ''The Emperor Jones'' was well received.<ref name="ReferenceC"/> On the film set he rejected any slight to his dignity, despite the widespread [[Jim Crow]] atmosphere in the United States.<ref>{{harvnb|Boyle|Bunie|2005|pp=275–279}}; cf. {{harvnb|Duberman|1989|pp=167–168}}</ref> Upon returning to England, he publicly criticized [[African Americans]]' rejection of [[African-American culture|their own culture]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Black Greatness|date=September 8, 1933|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Nv4-AAAAIBAJ&dq=paul%20robeson&pg=3427%2C2173739|work=[[Windsor Star|The Border Cities Star]]|page=4|access-date=May 29, 2020|archive-date=July 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728044655/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Nv4-AAAAIBAJ&dq=paul+robeson&pg=3427%2C2173739|url-status=live}}; cf. {{harvnb|Boyle|Bunie|2005|pp=284–285}}; {{harvnb|Duberman|1989|pp=169–170}}</ref> Despite negative reactions from the press, such as a ''[[New York Amsterdam News]]'' retort that Robeson had made a "jolly well [ass of himself]",{{sfn|Boyle|Bunie|2005|pp=285–286}} he also announced that he would reject any offers to perform central European (though not Russian, which he considered "Asiatic") opera because the music had no connection to his heritage.{{sfn|Boyle|Bunie|2005|pp=284–285}}

In early 1934, Robeson enrolled in the [[SOAS University of London|School of Oriental and African Studies]], a constituent college of the [[University of London]], where he studied [[phonetics]] and [[Swahili language|Swahili]].<ref>{{cite tweet |user=SOAS |number=1050025312770244609 |date=October 10, 2018 | title=Photograph of Paul Robeson's admission form for SOAS in 1934 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.soas.ac.uk/news/newsitem92596.html|title=Paul Robeson SOAS tribute with the late Tony Benn now available on YouTube {{!}} SOAS University of London|website=Soas.ac.uk|language=en|access-date=August 13, 2018|archive-date=February 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210207151911/https://www.soas.ac.uk/news/newsitem92596.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> His "sudden interest" in [[History of Africa|African history]] and its influence on culture<ref>The rationale for Robeson's sudden interest in African history is viewed as inexplicable by one of his biographers and no biographers have stated an explanation for what Duberman terms a "sudden interest"; cf. {{harvnb|Cameron|1990|p=285}}</ref> coincided with his essay "I Want to be African", wherein he wrote of his desire to embrace his ancestry.{{sfn|Nollen|2010|p=52}}

[[File:Paul Robeson and Ágay Irén - London, 1934.tif|thumb|upright|Robeson and actress [[Irén Ágay]] on the set of ''[[Sanders of the River]]'', London, 1934]]
His friends in the [[Anti-imperialism|anti-imperialist]] movement and his association with [[History of the socialist movement in the United Kingdom|British socialists]] led him to visit the [[Soviet Union]].{{sfn|Nollen|2010|p=52}} Robeson, Essie, and [[Marie Seton]] traveled to the Soviet Union on an invitation from [[Sergei Eisenstein]] in December 1934.{{sfn|Duberman|1989|pp=182–185}} A stopover in Berlin enlightened Robeson to the [[Racial policy of Nazi Germany|racism]] in [[Nazi Germany]]<ref>{{cite journal|title=The Paul Robeson–Jackie Robinson Saga and a Political Collision|journal=Journal of Sport History|date=Summer 1979|first=Ronald A.|last=Smith|volume=6|issue=2}}; {{harvnb|Duberman|1989|pp=184–185, 628–629}}</ref> and, on his arrival in [[Moscow]], in the Soviet Union, Robeson said, "Here I am not a Negro but a human being for the first time in my life&nbsp;... I walk in full human dignity."<ref>{{harvnb|Robeson|1978a|pp=94–96}}; cf. (Smith, Vern (January 15, 1935). "'I am at Home,' Says Robeson at Reception in Soviet Union", ''Daily Worker'').</ref>

He undertook the role of Bosambo in the movie ''[[Sanders of the River]]'' (1935),{{sfn|Nollen|2010|p=45}} which he felt would render a realistic view of [[colonial Africa]]n culture. ''Sanders of the River'' made Robeson an international movie star;{{sfn|Nollen|2010|pp=53–55}} but the stereotypical portrayal of a colonial African<ref>{{harvnb|Nollen|2010|p=53}}; cf. {{harvnb|Duberman|1989|pp=78–82}}</ref> was seen as embarrassing to his stature as an artist<ref>{{cite journal|title=Sanders on the River|journal=Cinema Quarterly|date=Spring 1935|first=Paul|last=Rotha|volume=3|issue=3|pages=175–176|quote=You may, like me, feel embarrassed for Robeson. To portray on the public screen your own race as a smiling but cunning rogue, as clay in a woman's hands (especially when she is of the sophisticated American Brand), as toady to the white man is no small feat ... It is important to remember that the multitudes of this country [Britain] who see Africa in this film, are being encouraged to believe this fudge is real. It is a disturbing thought. To exploit the past is the historian's loss. To exploit the present means in this case, the disgrace of a Continent.}}; {{harvnb|Duberman|1989|pp=180–182}}; contra: {{cite news |title=Leicester Square Theatre: Sanders of the River |newspaper=The Times |page=12 |date=April 3, 1935 }}</ref> and damaging to his reputation.<ref>{{harvnb|Low|1985|p=257}}; cf. {{harvnb|Duberman|1989|pp=181–182}}</ref> The Commissioner of Nigeria to London protested the film as slanderous to his country,{{sfn|Low|1985|pp=170–171}} and Robeson thereafter became more politically conscious in his choice of roles.<ref>Sources are unclear if Robeson unilaterally took the final product of the film as insulting or if his distaste was abetted by criticism of the film. {{harvnb|Nollen|2010|p=53}}; {{harvnb|Duberman|1989|p=182}}</ref> He appeared in the play ''Stevedore'' at the [[Embassy Theatre (London)|Embassy Theatre]] in London in May 1935,<ref>{{Cite book|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=jl8Nu4IlqMMC|page=209}}|page=209|title=Stars: The Film Reader|last1=Fischer|first1=Lucy|last2=Landy|first2=Marcia|date=2004|publisher=Psychology Press|isbn=978-0415278928|language=en}}</ref> which was favorably reviewed in ''[[The Crisis]]'' by [[Nancy Cunard]], who concluded: "''Stevedore'' is extremely valuable in the racial{{snd}}social question{{snd}}it is straight from the shoulder".<ref>{{Cite magazine|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=CVgEAAAAMBAJ|page=238}}|magazine=The Crisis|volume=42|issue=8|first=Nancy|last=Cunard|date=August 1935|publisher=The Crisis Publishing Company, Inc.|language=en|title=Stevedore in London}}</ref> In early 1936, he decided to send his son to school in the Soviet Union to shield him from racist attitudes.{{sfn|Robeson|2001|pp=280–281}} He then played the role of [[Toussaint Louverture]] in the [[Toussaint Louverture: The Story of the Only Successful Slave Revolt in History|eponymous play]] by [[C. L. R. James]]{{sfn|James|Høgsbjerg|Dubois|2012}} at the [[Westminster Theatre]], and appeared in the films ''[[Song of Freedom]]'',<ref>{{IMDb title|0028282}}</ref> and ''[[Show Boat (1936 film)|Show Boat]]'' in 1936,<ref>{{IMDb title|0028249}}</ref> and ''My Song Goes Forth'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.villonfilms.com/filmrec.php?queryIndex=0|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010522014343/http://www.villonfilms.com/filmrec.php?queryIndex=0|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 22, 2001|title=Africa Sings|publisher=Villon Films|access-date=July 10, 2012}}</ref> ''[[King Solomon's Mines (1937 film)|King Solomon's Mines]]''.<ref>{{IMDb title|0029081}}</ref> and ''[[Big Fella]]'', all in 1937.<ref>{{IMDb title|0028629}}</ref> In 1938, he was named by American ''[[Motion Picture Herald]]'' as the 10th most popular star in British cinema.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article29211761|title=Most Popular Stars of 1937: Choice of British Public|newspaper=[[The Mercury (Hobart)|The Mercury (Hobart, Tas.: 1860–1954)]]|location=Hobart, Tas.|date=February 12, 1938|access-date=April 25, 2012|page=5|publisher=National Library of Australia|archive-date=July 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728044632/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/29211761|url-status=live}}; cf. {{harvnb|Richards|2001|p=18}}.</ref>

[[File:Einstein-Wallace-Robeson-Kingdon 300x236.jpg|thumb|right|Robeson at [[Albert Einstein|Einstein]]'s home in Princeton, October 1947]]
In 1935, Robeson met [[Albert Einstein]] when Einstein came backstage after Robeson's concert at the [[McCarter Theatre]]. The two discovered that, as well as a mutual passion for music, they shared a hatred for [[fascism]]. The friendship between Robeson and Einstein lasted nearly twenty years, but was not well known or publicized.<ref>Jerome, F. (2004) [https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/430653 Einstein, Race, and the Myth of the Cultural Icon] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230124070217/https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/430653 |date=January 24, 2023 }}. [[Isis (journal)|Isis]], vol. 95, no. 4 (December 2004), pp. 627–639. The University of Chicago Press.</ref>