Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee on Paul Robeson

The NYPR Archive Collections | Jan 1, 2000

The exact date of this episode is unknown. We've filled in the date above with a placeholder. What we actually have on record is: 197u-uu-uu.

Eleanor Fischer interviewed many of Paul Robeson's close friends and acquaintances for a documentary program on Robeson in the 1970s. This interview features actors Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee. They speak about Paul's cultural contributions, his performance of Othello, and his impact on young African Americans at the time of the interview.

Davis discusses viewing Robeson perform Othello for the first time and the effect the performance had on him. Ruby Dee speaks about Robeson's impact on young black people. She says that it is not fair for her to generalize about the young people at the time, and she's sure they know who Robeson is and the importance of his impact on society.


WNYC archives id: 61495

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