Scholars from the US, India and China pay tribute to Paul Robeson in the year of his 125th birth anniversary. From the US is Anthony Monteiro, Du Boisian scholar and activist. Zhang Weiwei joins us from the China Institute at Fudan university. From India is Sumangala Damodaran, economist and music researcher.
The interview touches upon the unity of folk music, the Afro-Asiatic civilizational complex and the role of culture in the struggle for peace and freedom. Sumangala Damodaran is an economist, an artist and a researcher of music. She has written the book “The Radical Impulse: Music in the Tradition of IPTA” about the Indian People’s Theatre Association about a very significant cultural organization that emerged during India’s freedom struggle. She also has several albums and has collaborated with musicians around the world, particularly from Africa.
We interview Du Boisian scholar Dr. Anthony Monteiro as we commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of revolutionary artist and freedom fighter, Paul Robeson. The conversation covers the life of Paul Robeson, the crisis in US society, the shift towards a multipolar world, Black spirituals and artificial intelligence.
A tribute to Paul Robeson on his 125th anniversary organized in Bangalore on 24th June, 2023 by the All India Peace and Solidarity Organization with support from Gandhi Global Family, Chitrakala Parishath, Gandhi Study Circle, Seshadripuram College, Bangalore Musical Association and the All India Trade Union Congress.
The event featured a tribute video to Robeson and presentations and discussion by E.P. Menon, veteran peace activist, G. Ramakrishna, scholar and peace activist, and Uday Balakrishnan, author and former civil servant. The performance was by Bangalore Musical Association directed by Dr. Ashley William Joseph.