Today is Friday, September 4th, 2020.

On this day in 1949, Black singer Paul Robeson performed a concert to benefit the Civil Rights Congress near

Peakskill, New York.

But the event wasn't the cheerful, upbeat gathering Robeson had planned, 2,500 of his supporters had to form a human

shield around the show to block out angry racist protesters. Welcome to today in True Crime, a parcast original.

Due to the graphic nature of today's crimes,

listener discretion is advised. Extreme caution is advised for listeners under 13.

Today we're covering Paul Robeson's 1949 concert and the racist Peakskill riots that surrounded it.

Let's go back to September 4, 1949, just outside of Peakskill, New York.

It was an unusual scene for a concert.

The crowd was enormous, about 20,000 people in all,

but it didn't have the carefree attitude that often accompanies a show.

Surrounding the concert goers was an even stranger site.

2,500 trade union members and left-wing veterans forming a wall between ropes and

supporters and the angry mob of local conservatives. Today the audience hoped

the human wall would keep violence away from the concert, but they weren't sure.

Not after what had happened last week on August 27th, when Paul Robeson's concert was originally scheduled.

That day had started with an upbeat cheerful energy.

The crowd assembling just outside Peakskill was excited to see Robeson

and other artists such as Pete Seeger perform. But they were also happy to be around one another.

It was more than a group of music fans. It was a community.

The mixed race audience was united by leftist politics.

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