Eslanda : the large and unconventional life of Mrs. Paul Robeson / Barbara Ransby.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Ransby, Barbara.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Robeson, Eslanda Goode, 1896-1965.

Robeson, Eslanda Goode.

Robeson, Paul, 1898-1976.

Robeson, Paul.

Women anthropologists--United States--Biography.

Women anthropologists.

African American anthropologists--Biography.

African American anthropologists.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (424 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

New Haven : Yale University Press, c2013.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The first biography of the bold, principled, and fiercely independent woman who defied convention to make her own mark on the world Eslanda "Essie" Cardozo Goode Robeson lived a colorful and amazing life, embroiled in much of the twentieth century's social turmoil and traveling to every corner of the globe to fight for downtrodden and oppressed peoples. She was a woman of unusual accomplishment--an anthropologist, a prolific journalist, a tireless advocate of women's rights, an outspoken anti-colonial and antiracist activist, and an internationally sought-after speaker. Yet historians for the most part have confined Essie to the role of Mrs. Paul Robeson, a wife hidden behind the large shadow cast by her famous husband. In this masterful book, biographer Barbara Ransby refocuses attention on Essie, one of the most important and fascinating black women of the twentieth century. Chronicling Essie's eventful life, the book explores her influence on her husband's early career and how she later achieved her own unique political voice. Essie's friendships with a host of literary icons and world leaders, her renown as a fierce defender of justice, her defiant testimony before Senator Joseph McCarthy's infamous anti-communist committee, and her unconventional open marriage that endured for over 40 years--all are brought to light in the pages of this inspiring biography. Essie's indomitable personality shines through, and her contributions to American and world history can be fully appreciated at last.

Contents:

Cover

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION

ONE: Growing Up along the Color Line, 1895-1918

TWO: A Harlem Love Story, 1919-1927

THREE: Onto the World Stage, 1920s

FOUR: Remapping a Marriage, Career, and Worldview, 1927-1933

FIVE: Becoming a Writer and Anthropologist, 1930s

SIX: Africa at Last, 1936

SEVEN: Madrid to Moscow, Political Commitments Deepen, 1936-1939

EIGHT: Returning Home and Finding a New Voice, 1939-1945

NINE: Into the Congo, 1946

TEN: American Arguments, 1946-1950

ELEVEN: The United Nations and a World Political Family, 1950-1956

TWELVE: Standing Tall: The Cold War and Politics of Repression, 1950s

THIRTEEN: A Failing Body and a Hopeful Heart, 1958-1961

FOURTEEN: Always the Fighter: A Pen as Her Weapon, 1961-1965

EPILOGUE

CHRONOLOGY

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS TO THE NOTES

NOTES

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF SELECT WRITINGS BY ESLANDA ROBESON

INDEX

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0-300-18907-9

1-283-91530-8

OCLC:

825046240