Paul Robeson tribute and Robey Theater fundraiser

Are we going to be around this town? And let what I've been saying come true? If you get off of me, I can get up if you want to understand me. I can get up if you really want to help me. I can get up, but in Jesus' name, I'm going to get up. If you get off of me, I can get up if you want to understand me. I can get up if you really want to help me. I can get up, but in Jesus' name, I'm going to get up. The people who are talking to me, are we going to be around this town? And let what I've been saying come true? Good for nothing, baby. I won't figure. Just a boy who's grown, my shit was a jigger. Now we're going to stand for that. Oh, is that really worth a sight? I'm your brother. As you stand in your glory, I hope you're mine. And I'll tell the whole story. Part of your sister. I know you think you've come a long way. I know you think you've come a long way. As I walk the street, I see the world. You can see my hands ain't shaking, and my head's ain't triggering. I turn the corner and keep it straight. Darker than blue by Willis and Shante, who will be our in-studio guest next Monday, February the 25th, 2013. Welcome to the Conron Report. May the peace and blessings of the life-giving creative spirit be upon you and upon your family. Thank you. My name is Melvin Ishmael Johnson, and I'm in the studio with my co-host, Earlene Anthony. This week, we will be talking about Paul Robeson and the Robey Theater Company with Karen Chappelle, chair of the board of directors for the Robey Theater Company, who we have on the line right now to talk about the Robey Theater Company and the upcoming fundraiser this Sunday, February the 24th, 2013 at the Los Angeles Center Studios, which is located at the corner of 6th and Bixel. Karen, welcome to the Conron Report. Thank you so much. I'm so happy to be here. Yeah, so glad to have you. Hey, can you tell us a little about yourself, and how did you first get involved with the Robey Theater Company? Well, I got involved with the Robey Theater Company through my association on the Beverly Hills Hollywood NAACP Theater Committee. Where we go and view shows and evaluate them and have an award show at some point in the year, usually in February. And in that capacity, we had come to the Robey Theater Company and had viewed a number of the plays that Robey had produced. And these are award-winning plays. And ultimately, Ben Guillory, one of the co-founders, and I collaborated on a theater festival with the NAACP in 2010. And one thing led to another, and the next thing I knew, I was on the board, and now I'm the chairman of the board. Great job. It's all Robey all the time. That's what I say. Yeah. Now, can you tell our listening audience about the founding and history of the Robey Theater Company? The Robey Theater Company was founded by Ben Guillory and Danny Glover back in 1994. Ben and Danny were both, they're very good friends, and they both started in the theater. And they wanted to, it started out as a reader's theater company. And they decided that a black theater company was what was needed in Los Angeles, and they wanted to start one. And they felt like the principles that were, that Paul Robeson represented was something that they wanted in their theater company. And so that's how it started. And the name, the name Robey. And the name Robey was Paul Robeson's athletic name. Nickname, when he played college football at Rutgers. And he later became an All-American, and later as a professional. Yes. And, yeah, so that's where Robey came from. Now, let me ask you this, Karen. What is the meaning of Paul Robeson to you? Well, Paul Robeson, to me, represents someone that has a great amount of intelligence and resilience. And he was multi-talented in so many different areas. Athletic, the law, a singer, an actor. He mastered several languages. And the thing about him was that he viewed his talents not as an end of themselves, but as a tool to help the black race. And that's what he devoted his life to. And that's what he means to me. And I think that's what we strive for in the Robey Theater Company, is to use the talents of the actors and the playwrights to tell stories that educate and entertain, what they call edutainment, for the community at large. Oh, beautiful. Now, can you tell us about the fundraising for the Robey Theater Company coming up this Sunday, February the 24th at the Los Angeles Center Studios? I certainly can. The fundraiser is designed to kick off the 20th anniversary year for Robey. The Robey Theater Company will turn 20 years old in 2014. And this is our first big fundraiser to kick that off. And what we're planning to do, this is what we're calling the Oscar Party's For Us, By Us. We're going to highlight all the past, winners of Oscar, and all the past nominees for the Oscars that are of African-American descent, all the way back to Hattie McDaniel. The fundraiser is being held at a studio where we're going to broadcast it live on the big screen. And the guests will arrive and walk on the red carpet where they will be the celebrity. The event is being sponsored by Remy and Martin International. The food is being hosted by Maggiano's, the great Italian food. And Danny Glover, Viola Davis, Louis Gossett Jr. These are just some of the actors that will be in attendance on that day. And we are really looking forward to it. Oh, it sounds like a great event. Oh, it's going to be amazing. And they can get the tickets. They can go on our website at robeytheatercompany.com. And it's R-O-B-E-Y-T-H-E-A-T-R-E company.com. Or, they can call the Robey Theater Company at 213-489-7402. Mm-hmm. Okay. Now, Karen, let me ask you this. How can we make community theater more affordable to the community? Well, I think, to be honest with you, I think that community theater is kind of affordable to the community, as long as they know about it. I think that's the biggest thing. Because the tickets are $20. And when you think about, you know, people spend $20 on their cell phone bills, on, you know, just anything without even thinking about it. All kinds of discounts are available for senior citizens, for students. Mm-hmm. Different date discounts. I don't think it's so much the price of the ticket. I think it's the information process, getting the information about the plays. That's what is necessary. Mm-hmm. Now, it's interesting that you mentioned a little earlier about, you know, we have a link with our Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Kobe Now, what are your thoughts about the need for a national African-American theater company? I love it. I love it. I love it. Those are my thoughts. I would like to be involved. I would like to assist anyone in the creation of this project. You know, the Negro Theater Ensemble is still very strong and very much alive in New York. I mean, I think that I think there is a National Black Theater Association, but it's different than, you know, a theater company of actors, so to speak, that would tour around. I think it would be amazing. And I think that I think that there's a need for it. And I think there's an interest in it among the actors. Listen, I see the actors at Roby Theater Company, these guys, to use an expression that was in the rec, not the reckoning, but one of the Roby shows that said, you've got to go. These actors, they've got to go. They like the theater. They have talent and they want to be involved. I think it's a real possibility, to be honest with you. And it's needed because Dr. Du Bois and Theo Lewis, they was talking about this during the 20th. And here it's almost 100 years later and we still don't have a full scale national African-American theater company. What can I say, Ishmael? Time flies. Time flies. I mean, you can't believe it. It's been 100 years. Yes. Yes. Now, also, let me ask you this. What are some of the upcoming projects that the Roby have over there? Well, you know what? Ben is just taking kind of a hiatus this year to try and get ready for his big 20th anniversary. I know that he is working on doing something very special for the 20th anniversary. And it will be the it will be a world premiere play. But I don't think I'm at liberty to say what it is. But let me say this. It's going to be very exciting. And it's going to be very exciting. It's going to be very exciting. It's going to be very historical and relevant. OK. Now, once again, can you give us that contact information and the information about tickets for the fundraising event? The tickets for the fundraiser are $100 and we're giving all kinds of discounts. Good neighbor discounts, Roby discounts, NAACP discounts. But call the office. Call 213-489-7402 or go straight on the website at RobyTheatreCompany.com. And you can just click right on and go through PayPal or Amazon or however you'd like to pay online. And it is going to be the most fun night. The event is going to be live streamed by two separate entities so that they'll be taking interviews on the red carpet. And it's just going to be amazing. OK, Karen, thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you, Melvin. And congratulations on all of your success with the Emperor's Last Performance. Thank you very much. That's Karen Chappelle, chair of the board of directors for the Roby Theatre Company. OK, let's get into our roundtable discussion of Paul Roth. Now, joining us for our discussion is my co-hosts Earline Anthony, Andrea Ross, Lee Shaw, and Isaac Clay. But first, let's read a little about Paul Roth. Good evening. Good evening. Good evening. Paul Leroy Robeson was an American singer and actor who became involved with the Civil Rights Movement at Rutgers University. He was an outstanding American football player. Then he had an international career in singing as well as acting in the theater and cinema. He became politically involved in response to the Spanish Civil War, fascism, and social injustices. His advocacy of anti-imperialism, affiliation with communism, and his criticism of the U.S. government caused him to be blacklisted during McCarthyism. Ill health forced him into retirement from his career. To the end, he remained unapologetic for the unpopular political stances that he took. Robeson won an academic scholarship to Rutgers University, where he became a political scholar. He was a professor at Rutgers University. He was a professor at Rutgers University. He was a professor at Rutgers University. He was a college assistant at Rutgers University, where he became a football All-American and class valedictorian. He attended Columbia Law School, playing in the National Football League at Columbia. He sang and acted in off-campus production and post-graduate. He became a participant in the Harlem Renaissance with performances in The Empress Jones and All God's Children's Got Wings. Robeson initiated his international artistic resume with a theater college at Rutgers University, Kobe University, Kobe University, Kobe University, Kobe University, Kobe University, Kobe University, Kobe University, Kobe University, Kobe University, Kobe University, Kobe University, Kobe University, Kobe University, Kobe University, Kobe University, Kobe University, Kobe University, Kobe University, theatrical role in Great Britain, before setting in London for the next several years with his wife, Essie. His portrayal of Othello in London has been considered the high point in English Shakespearean theater in the 20th century. While Robeson became an international cinematic star in roles in Showboat, Bassambo, and Sanders of the Rivers, he became increasingly attuned towards the sufferings of all cultures and peoples. Acting against advice, which foretold of his economic ruin if he became politically active, he relegated his theatrical career to advocate the cause of the Republican forces of the Spanish Civil War, and he then became active in the Council on African Affairs. During World War II, he supported the United States and the United States of America in the United States of America. He supported America's war effort and won accolades for his portrayal of Othello on Broadway. However, his history of supporting pro-Soviet policies brought scrutiny from the FBI. After the war ended, the CAA was placed on the Attorney General list of suburbia's organizations, and he was investigated during the age of McCarthyism, due to his decision not to recant his public advocacy of pro-Soviet policies. He was denied a job. He was denied a passport by the U.S. Department, and his income subsequently plummeted. He moved to Harlem and published a periodical, Criticles of U.S. Policy. His right to travel was eventually restored by the Supreme Court case Kent v. Dulles, but his health broke down. He retired and lived out the remaining years of his life privately in Philadelphia. Okay, that's Paul Roltson. Let's open up our roundtable. Joining us, you heard from my co-host Earlene Anthony, you heard from Andrea Ross. Joining us is Mr. Lee Shaw and Mr. Isaac Clay. So, first thing on here, what is the meaning of Paul Roltson to you? Let's start off with Earlene. Well, didn't know much about him before you saw him. I started on The Emperor's Last Performance, and I learned quite a bit about him then. Anyway, his artistic abilities, theatrical performances, was very well known. He was the first African-American that came to prominence, and this to me was fascinating because I love the theater. I'm a playwright, actor, so on. So, this is the performance. This is the part that appeals to me about Paul Roltson. Mm-hmm. Isaac. Well, I kind of can relate to what Earlene just said about not knowing that much about Paul Roltson until tonight, really. But, the thing is, I'm a singer and I have a baritone bass voice, and I had a music teacher and an opera teacher, Mr. Nathaniel McLennan, in Chicago, who worked with me. And I'll never forget him because his working with me was invaluable. He gave me free lessons on a regular basis, and he told me about Paul Roltson and about this song, Old Man River. And I learned that he was a lawyer, he was a football player, he went to Rutgers University. But that's basically all I knew about him. Oh, and The Emperor Jones. I think I saw part of that. And that's basically all I knew about him. But tonight, I've learned so much more. Mm-hmm. Andrea. Yes, I'll just piggyback on what Isaac and Earlene said, and I will just add that he was ahead of his time as far as his intellectual capacities, his traveling abroad, the theatrical accolades that are behind his name, and we still have today, his history is still prevalent, but, like, they... I think they alluded to, it's unknown, you know, and this is part of the purpose of Black History Month, is to make these stories known and to highlight their stories so that our kids and the next generations and generations to come can carry forward, you know, this great American, Black American icon, Paul Roltson. Mm-hmm. Lee. It seems like everybody's piggybacking. I'm going to do the same thing. I didn't know very much about myself. But what I gather here, real rich life, man, you know, and it deserves to be put out there for younger people, old and young, you know, to dabble in and understand, because here goes a guy that, like you guys said, multi-talented, right? And for some reason or another, I get the feeling that a lot of people was like that, say, in the early 20th century, they had to be, you know what I'm saying? It was a thing where I got to go for it all. I got to have this, that, that, that. I got to know something about it, you know what I'm saying? And today, we don't see a lot of people like that. I think that's what kept the movements and things going because they was aiming at different things, you know what I'm saying? I remember reading in an old Christmas magazine one time, I think it was Robert Shuler said it. He said, if you don't aim at nothing, you ain't going to hit nothing. You know what I'm saying? And they was aiming at everything. They wanted to know, you know, if I could be a... an actor, a singer, football player, speak seven, eight different languages, man, I'm going... and be able to travel around the world, be a world figure, I mean, you don't hit the... you hit the bullseye, you know? And that's what he's... so far what I've learned, that he's done. He didn't get done. Hit the bullseye, you know what I'm saying? Only because of certain things, certain beliefs that, you know, they stopped him from probably going further than he would have went. Okay. Now, let me ask this, because... that's what we're getting into now, because one of the things that's... when I think about Paul Robeson, I want to ask this, why was Robeson branded a communist? Anybody want to pick up on that? And then we'll talk about that in a little detail. I mean, you know, from my understanding of it, anybody that was trying to do something for his people, or, you know, and was going... in America's eyes, especially in Diego Hu's eyes, his number one thing was to make you a commie. Make you a communist. Put your name out there with the communists so he can just take everything, you know, just close you into a little box. You know what I'm saying? Once you're able to get off of this ship, if I go down to the Pacific Ocean, get me a rowboat, and I go out so far, if I can get off this right here, the world is wide open to me. You know what I'm saying? But if you can stop me from getting to my rowboat, you got me closed in. Okay. You know. Okay. I really don't know, but I would like to ask a question. Um, because, uh, I understand that he sympathized with some of their policies, right? Well, let's talk about that. You want to say anything, Andrea, or Erland, before we talk about that? Well, personally, from what you have told me a little earlier, I think it was just a matter of him being guilty by association. Yeah. The theater company that he affiliated with was high-level communistic infiltration. And so by him being just in the same connection with this organization, he was automatically made guilty by association. And we know how that is in America for black people, guilty by association. Yep. You want to say anything, Erland? Um, just on what Andrea said, um, guilty by association, whether he was guilty or not, once it was put out there that he was a communist, you know, that was the label on him, and he was blacklisted for that. Yeah. Now, the beginning of, um, this so-called communists, this so-called communists connection was because of the, the Provincetown Players, the company that, uh, Paul Rosen got involved with, uh, first two productions that he did with the Provincetown Players was, um, the Emperor Jones and All God's Children's Got Wings, uh, something like that in the, uh, early 20s. But the most notable thing is that the Provincetown Players was founded by, uh, uh, uh, Jack Reed, John Reed, who wrote the famous book, Ten Days to Shuck the World, about the, uh, communist revolution. And then most of your, er, most of your founders and supporters of the, uh, Provincetown Players, like Jiggs Cooks, Emma Goldman, Max Eastman, these was your leaders in the early communist movement here in the United States. And so when Paul Rosen first got involved with the Provincetown Players, he wasn't aware of, uh, this kind of, uh, connection. And, uh, uh, and this is what they used it because this was at the time that, um, like I say, J. Edgar Hoover was developing, uh, plans to deal with radicals and communists, anybody he considered to be, uh, uh, anti-American. Okay, we have a call on the line. Who we have on the line? Uh, Dr. Mungo. Hey, Dr. Mungo. Hey, Doc. Good to hear you. Hello. Hello. Everybody. Yeah, we're talking about Paul Rosen. Okay. Hello. Hello. How you guys doing? We're doing fine. You have a question or comment? No, I just, I just wanted to make one comment. Yes. Okay. Uh, you know, we were looking at the Communist Party as, uh, uh, uh, I wanted to make one comment. Uh, the Communist Party, the first party in America, but you know, the Communist Party at that time, they were the only party speaking up for blacks. You know what I mean? Yeah. Uh, the Communist Party were the ones who, uh, the Scottsboro Boys. You remember that one? Yes. And Paul Rosen associated himself with the Communist Party and the Communist Party was considered to be, uh, anti-American. Yes. That's all I have to say. Yeah. That's, that's, that's a, that's a great point. Uh, yeah, but the Communist Party at that time was the party for black people, for equality among black people. Okay. Yeah. And you know, one of your outstanding African American, um, writers, noted writers who was involved with the Communist Party was Richard Wright, who wrote the book, Black Boy, Black Boy, the Native Son. Yeah. And so he was a central part of the, um, Communist Party. Uh, uh, during this time. And a few other intellectual African Americans who got involved. Well, like I say, you know, the Communist Party at that time, they were the only ones who stood up for the Scottsboro Boys and they fostered that mentality like, hey, these guys are innocent. Mm-hmm. They were the only ones who stood up for the Scottsboro Boys. Yeah. Okay. Hey, great point, Dr. Mungo. So glad you called. Oh, great. I need to. Thank you very much. Yeah. Looking forward to seeing you and your family. Thank you. Thank you. And I'm going to see you in Jamal this Wednesday. Yeah, that's the one. I'm feeling better. I will be there. Okay. Thank you, Dr. Mungo. All right. All right. So long. Bye. Bye. You know, that's interesting what he said, uh, about the Communists. I'm very leery of the Communist Party in regards to them speaking up for the Scottsboro Boys because I think they had ulterior motives. So I just want to make my comment. Okay. Okay. Well, uh, let's pick up on that. I just see the Communist Party during that time was a little bit, well, a big, big difference from when they talking about communism today because they were sprinting off into so many different parts and stuff that's moved into different directions. Uh, Marxism, socialism and all like that. Uh, but look, let's also, let's move to our next point that I wanted to discuss. And I want to discuss the danger of being an international man, you know, like Paul Roflson, he was an international man, which means that he viewed the world, uh, not from a, a local, uh, but from a, a, an international perspective. And he, uh, so the danger of being an international man like Marcus Garvey and what Dr. King and Malcolm X would become. And as you, if, if you notice that it was when they began to look at the world on an international basis is when they became a threat, uh, to the American way of life, you know, in the eyes of, uh, J. Edgar Hoover. So let, let's talk about that for what was the, what was the danger of being an international man? What danger did this rise, uh, raise in the eyes of the, uh, uh, uh, the American power structure? Basically, any time that you have a higher educational platform that you're working with being in a minority, especially a black man at that time in that era, that's automatic red flag, you know, for the demise of this person. You fear what you don't know. But education is the way and internationally to have that platform in the eye on the world, Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah and like Marcus Garvey at that time. So it's the fear factor. Oh, you know, that's how I'll sum it up. It's the fear factor. Okay. Well, she's pretty much said it all. When you see this black man who's incredibly talented, it was brilliant. I understand he went to Rutgers, right? Did he graduate? Oh, yes. He graduated from Rutgers. And Columbia. He was strong. He was strong. And he's a God-fearing man. And I'm sure they had to scratch their heads and say, now what kind of black man is this? I'm sure they probably didn't say black man. And it just threw them off. And they had to figure out, you know, we are in control. We got to, you know, maintain our rule. And so it's like if you cut off the head of the tribe, you know, the other tribe, part of the tribe will flee. So that's why they said, no, we got to make it impossible for him. Because as we were talking about earlier, they cut out his income, right? They would even let him leave the country. They took his passport. And how was he supposed to make a living? What did they expect him to do? They just want him to die. Go away, die. Just leave us alone, you know? Because we like our doctors, you know, we like them scratching their head and saying, yes, sir, no, sir. Yeah, because he was making, during that time, he was making over. $100,000 a year. That was his income. You think about during that time period. That's probably equivalent to about a good $10 million today. You said he made $15,000 for Emperor Jones, right? Yeah, he got paid $15,000 for the movie, The Emperor Jones in 1933. That's a lot of money. Like I said, I'd do a movie today for $15,000. Times are hard, man. I'm broker than the Ten Commandments. Like I said before, anytime, you're able to get off this rock and see some other parts of the world. So you can gauge what you see somewhere else versus what's happening right here. And if you were thinking, man, then you can kind of switch it, you know, move it around, shake it up and see what it... This ain't even up. This ain't even... Because what they're doing over there, right? We should be doing over here. But how would I know that I was able to get there, to get this information? And he was able to do that. So now I got to stop you from getting any information, right? Because now, if you look at today, we are... I'll just say subservient to the media, right? We only can come across with what we see on the TV and the news thing. Or we hear in the news. We hear from somebody else. You know what I'm saying? This is no first-hand stuff. This stuff has been shaken up, put in a bottle, and stuff has been put in it on top of it. And, you know, it's garbage, right? But a first-hand account? Straight. You know what I'm saying? And that's what they... These people were representing because they were able to get out of here and see things in other parts of the world and understand that, man, we behind everybody else. Puts a whole other perspective on it. When you spoke about communism... Well, let me put it right here. Like you said before, China is a communist country, right? And guess who owe them, though? That's right. Guess who owe them? They don't owe us. Well, I would say America. America owes them. So now, what's the big deal? What's the big deal with that? I know. You know what I'm saying? And then another thing that I would like to point out in relationship to this whole concept of being an international man is I think it's very important to look at things through the eyes of J. Edgar Hoover, who has such a deep influence on, you know, the American justice system, the way that they view so-called radicals and things. And about a week, about a month before Dr. King was assassinated, Hoover, J. Edgar Hoover sent a memo out to his most trusted FBI agent. And it's known as the Hoover Memo. And in this memo, Hoover warned, you know, he pointed out at this time Malcolm X was assassinated and he was talking about those who aspire, to the position that Malcolm had. And he pointed out that Elijah Muhammad was too old. He pointed out that Stokely Carmichael, he aspired to the throne. He mentioned a few others. But the one that he thought that was the most dangerous was Dr. King. He felt that if Dr. King, because the memo was to prevent the rise of what he called a black messiah who could electrify, and unify the black militant masses, as he pointed out in that sense. And I think this is the danger that they started off with Marcus Garvey because Marcus Garvey, originally he was an international man because he had traveled all over the world as a young man, London, places like that, Jamaica. He had been all over. So he viewed the world. Yeah, he had been all over. So when he came over here and he saw what was, he saw the so-called, what he called a Negro leadership at the time. See, and he looked beyond that. That's why they challenged Marcus Garvey so much is because they were looking at what was happening in the United States, you know, so-called Negro leadership, as they called it at the time, without making any connection, without seeing the connection to the rest of the world, especially the economy. And when you're talking about communism and capitalism, that's what you're talking about. The economy. And so when Malcolm X, Dr. King, when Malcolm X was involved with the nation of Islam, long as he was local, no problem. But when he broke away from the nation and began to travel and see the world different, got away from that concept of color and black and white and all that kind of stuff, he became a danger to him. They saw a threat on what he could do in terms of the economy. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. When he won the Nobel Peace Prize, he spoke out against the Vietnam War. He had that international voice, and that made him a threat. And this is the main reason that they had to get rid of Malcolm X and had to get rid of Dr. Martin Luther King. And, of course, it was very easy for them to get rid of Marcus Garvey because he wasn't an American citizen. All they had to do was frame him for a crime, get him a felony. And deport him. And kick him out of the country. Kick him out of the country. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Okay. Also, let me ask this. What do you think the meaning of Fall Rose to young people? It seems like there's not that many young people. The rappers is not even... Is they rapping about Fall Rose? Yeah. Yeah. Well, why? Why? There lies the educational process for our young people, and why Black History Month is so very, very important, to sustain these legacies like Paul Robeson. They only know about King and Malcolm and... But there's so many, many more icons that we can point to, including Paul Robeson, that they need to be educated. George Carver, Booker T. Washington. All of these and many, many more. So, yes, that's the pertinence of Black History Month. Let's push this to our children for the next generation to carry it forward. Yeah. Maybe you write a poem or something on him. Most certainly, I will. Yes, I will. I can hear it now. Gotta bring out the black, gotta bring out the black. I ain't talking about getting back, I'm talking about bringing out the black. All right, now, let's take a break for our Community Calendar. I got you, dinner. And then we'll come back with our open mic section of the program with performances by Andrea Ross Leeshaw and Isaac Clay. This is the Community Calendar for the month of February, Sunday, February the 24th, from 1.30 to 3.30. You're asked to join with the Spiritual Youth Group, ICUJP, United University Church, and Drama Stage Qumran as they present a discussion on interfaith gathering on the culture of torture. There will be special guest speakers, special performances. Food and drink will be served. This is a special gathering for the community. We're going to be having a discussion. We're going to be having a discussion. This is a free event, and all are welcome to attend. The location is the United University Church, 817 West 34th Street, Los Angeles, at the corner of Jefferson and Hoover. For more information, you can contact 818-605-7188. And you're asked to please join the Roby Theatre Company Board of Directors, the African American Network, the Film Critics Association, and friends to walk the red carpet. This is an Academy Award viewing party fundraiser, Sunday, February the 24th, at the Los Angeles Center Theatre, 450 South Bixel, Los Angeles. 2 p.m. will be the red carpet. 3 p.m. will be cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. 5 p.m. will be the Oscar show. And it's a black tie interview. The ticket is optional. There will be free parking. For ticket information and for further information, you can contact the Roby Theatre Company, 514 South Spring Street, at 213-489-7402. And this is an upcoming event. Beginning next month will be the month of March. The theater company is looking for veterans to shadow the design and production team, learning firsthand about all of the backstage magic that transforms the playwright words on paper into a theatrical event. If you would like information about this technical program or would like to volunteer or contribute in other ways to keep the program going, please contact Judy Bowman at 626-703-1230 or email gotoroby at gmail.com. Upcoming guests on the Qumran Report, Monday, February the 25th, will be Pastor Lewis Logan and Willis and Shante. The discussion will be about Carter G. Wilson and the origin of Black History Month. That's Carter G. Wilson. Woodson. Woodson, excuse me. If you have a community event that you would like to announce on our show, just send the information to DramaStage1 at yahoo.com attention Earline Anthony. Call in number for the show is 800-893-9562. Now back to our host. Okay, thank you, Miss Earline Anthony. Now we're back with our sounding off open mic section of our program. First, we have Andrea Ross and Lee Shaw performing History Lessons and 100 Million. From generation to generation, Africa spawned all manner of all nations. Yet sadly, it was the strapping backs of the African Black, the dendric people that gave rise to a new world order, a new world economy, you see. We were stolen, trapped, misused and abused, exploited, suppressed and oppressed till death do us part. Captured, imprisoned, caged and enraged African people. An unequal historical monumental travesty. A wretched tragedy, systemic slavery. Black hearted nation. Oh, say can you see? By the dawn's early light. Middle passage. A dark eye closed on humanity. Insanity personified. The lingering question is still why? Why did 100 million have to die? 100 million. 100 million. Wrap your thoughts around that staggering number. I wonder, did you know that? 100 million. 100 million African people perished upon those cold and deadly seas. 100 million stories awash with grim dark tragedy. 100 million stolen, held hostage by an arrogant, ignorant breed. 100 million captured and slaved by those who felt a pitiful need to conquer rape and pillage. Our magnificent and fertile lands. To kill and steal at will. Priceless treasures from the grasp of the black man. Without rationale. Without reason. Without any explanation as to why. 100 million souls were destroyed. With their heritage stripped. Bone naked, bare and dry. Yes, they were ignorant, heartless, treacherous thieves. Oblivious to our wretched pain. Arrogant, brutal beasts motivated simply by monetary gain. So, 100 million had to die. And suffer such atrocities as human cargo bound, then shipped traversing those bloody cold seas. 100 million families. 100 million hells. Can any other scenario eclipse this historic horror tale? The Japanese? The Jews? The Indians? The Armenians, you say? Well, totaled all together would not eclipse the plight we suffered and continue to suffer now today. Without compensation. Without 40 acres and a mule reparation. Without even a simple, I'm sorry, apology. They remain mute and deadly silent. Forgetting about that past. With 100 million dark, stark memories. That number was 100. 100 million African people. Thank you. Okay, thank you Andrea Ross and Lee Shaw, who will be performing a portion of History Lesson written by Andrea Ross this Sunday, February the 24th, 2013 at 1.30 at the Peace Center, located on the campus of USC. Now next up is a tribute to Paul Robeson by Isaac Clay singing Old Man River. So, Isaac Clay. One of the most beautiful musicals of our time came from the prolific pens of Mr. Jerome Cairn, Mr. Oscar Hammerstein. And one of the most beautiful songs of our time from that musical, Show Boat, was made even more popular than the musical by the late, great Mr. Paul Robeson. Ladies and gentlemen, this is a tribute to Paul Robeson. There's an old man called the Mississippi. That's the old man that I long to be. What does he care if the world's got troubles? What does he care if the land ain't free? Don't look up and you don't look down. You don't ask to make the rich boss frown. Bend your knees and bow your head. And pull that rope until you're dead. Let me go away from the Mississippi. Let me go away from the rich man's farm. Show me that stream called the River Jordan. That's the old stream that I long to cross. Oh man. Oh man. Oh man. Oh man River. That old man River. He must know something. But don't say nothing. He just keeps a-ruling. He keeps on a-ruling along. He don't plantators. And he don't plant cotton And them that plant some Is soon forgotten But old man River He just keeps rolling along You and me We sweat and strain Body all a-hickin' And wreck with pain Toll that barge And lift that bell You get a little drunk And you land in jail I get weary And sick of trying I'm tired Tired of living But scared of dying But old man River He just keeps rolling Along Right! Beautiful! Wonderful! Woo! That's Isaac Clay! Old man River. Now we still have time. Let's go around for some of our closing comments. And first of all, Isaac, that was beautiful. Yes it was. Let's have some closing comments and then also give us your contact information and some of the events that you got coming up. Well, first of all, thank you so much for inviting me. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I do want to kind of reiterate something Errol said about the children becoming educated to power ropes and as well as other black figures in black history being much more prevalent than it is today. I just wanted to make that comment. And I've been blessed. I'm going to be asking for everybody to listen to pray for me because I do have an interview this coming Wednesday. involving Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey for their upcoming show, Love Thy Neighbor. So please pray for me. Also, this coming Sunday, February 24th, and I don't think it'll clash with Lee and Andrea's show at West Angeles, the 8 o'clock a.m. service and the 11 o'clock a.m. service on Jefferson and Crenshaw. We're doing a play, just a very short play during the time of the wrath of praise and worship. We're going to do it called Crossing the Line, the Arthurine Lucy story, which is a true story about a young lady who integrated the University of Alabama in 1956. And it's, speaking of black history again, I didn't know anything about this until I got the part. So I'm asking people to come pray for us for that and please come out. Also, the same day, I'm doing a tribute to Paul Robeson at Phillips Temple here in L.A. at 971 East 43rd Street. That's 43rd and it's central. That's at 4 o'clock p.m. And as I said, I'll be doing a tribute to Paul Robeson singing Old Man River. Thank you. Yeah, and just... Pardon me? Your contact information. Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you. Isaac Clay, my cell phone is 323-301-0582. Thank you. Once again, 323-301-0582. Or you can reach me at 323-733-2633. A lot of threes. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. Also, you can reach me on my email, IsaacClay1, just like similar to Mel's, IsaacClay1 at yahoo.com. That's I-S-A-A-C-C-L-A-Y, number one at yahoo.com. Thank you. All right. And just picking back up on the little short play that you are doing, that was the situation when George Wallace stood in the door to keep her out, keep the University of Alabama from being integrated. A lot of people know about George Wallace standing in the door, but they don't know about... On the description they gave us, they said that that happened later. Later? Yeah, that's what they said, yeah. The form they gave us. Okay. Yeah. Let's check. Okay. Recheck that then. Okay, Andrea. Yes. My final comment, and I will say again and reiterate about the need for our young people to be educated to the great heroes and icons of the black history. And mainly that was the purpose of me writing the play that I wrote and entitled it, History Lesson is a Poetic Odyssey of the African Experience. And in doing so, I wanted to highlight, I didn't even know we had a link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link link She's so funny. I'm sorry. Yeah, I do. Y'all come on out and see her soon. She's giving me some good history lessons here. You know what I'm saying? I won't give up a history lesson right now. If you came off the east side and you stayed anywhere in the area of, say, Slauson to Adams on Central Avenue, whether you're Hooper, Avalon, whatever. Okay. There used to be a theater there in the 60s. It was called the Bill Robinson Theater. That Bill Robinson's the one who taught the little girl. What's her name? Shirley Temple. Shirley Temple, how to tap, tap, tap. Right? Bojangles. Bojangles. Right across the street from there, another history lesson. The center of the paper right now is over on Crenshaw. But it got its start over there on between 43rd Place and 43rd Street in Central Avenue, right across from the Bill Robinson Theater. That's my history lesson for you. Very good. Beautiful. Arlene. Arlene. Just want to just reiterate. It's great to just come out and see the performances that we announce on the show because people are asking for your support and it's a worthy cause. We provide state-of-the-art entertainment, history notes, and Isaac Clay's performance. Also, the Academy Award Viewing Party fundraiser for the Roby. And we just thank you for listening and you just have a good evening. What's left of it. Mm-hmm. Okay. Now, I would like to extend a special thanks. To my co-host, Arlene Anthony, my in-studio guests, Andrea Ross, Lee Shaw, and Isaac Clay. And on the line with Miss Karen Chappelle, the chair of the Board of Directors of the Roby Theater Company. Thank you very much. Now, beginning this Saturday and Sunday, February the 23rd and 24th at 9 o'clock, tune in for the broadcast of this show. And also, two hours. The Qumran Report. Every Saturday and Sunday, 9 o'clock a.m. to 11 o'clock a.m. skidrow.la. Now, please listen to past shows of the Qumran Reports on iTunes, Facebook, and skidrow.la. Thank you for tuning in to the Qumran Report. And from your host, Melvin Ishmael Johnson, may the peace and blessings of the life-giving creatives... ...and the spirit be upon you and upon your family. And we close the show with the song that opened the show, Darker Than Blue by Willis and Shante. Thank you. Darker than blue Are we going to be around this town And let what we said come true We are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we are we But in Jesus' name, I'm gonna get out And before the dark