On May 20, 1952, American actor and singer Paul Robeson overcame blacklisting, a press blackout, and a City Council ban to perform at the Seattle Civic Auditorium in a "Peoples Program" presented by the Seattle Chapter of the National Negro Labor Council.

A civil rights activist and anti-fascist sympathetic to communism, Robeson was investigated and blacklisted beginning in the late 1940s. In April 1952, a month before his scheduled performance, City Building Superintendent John Cain cancelled the contract for Robeson's use of the Civic Auditorium. Cain banned the concert and lecture on the grounds that it might engender "racial or religious antagonisms," maintaining that Robeson's appearance would cause antagonism "toward the Negro race." On May 8, in response to a lawsuit filed on behalf of the People's Programs, a judge lifted the ban imposed by Cain. Robeson's performance before a small house on May 20 was his last Seattle performance.

This program for Robeson's concert at the Civic Auditorium lists the program, and describes the three organizations--the Council of African Affairs, The National Negro Labor Council, and the Newspaper Freedom--for which Robeson was fundraising by contributing his concert proceeds to the United Freedom Fund.

Caption information source: "Auditorium use denied to Robeson" Seattle Times, April 16, 1952, p.1.
Caption information source: "Robeson May Use Auditorium, Judge Rules," Seattle Times, May 8, 1952, p.7.
Caption information source: "Paul Robeson overcomes red-baiters to appear in Seattle Civic Auditorium on May 20, 1952," by Walt Crowley, HistoryLink.org essay no. 1144.