Eslanda second ed.
The Large and Unconventional Life of Mrs. Paul Robeson
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Haymarket Books
Published:29th Mar '22
Should be back in stock very soon
This biography explores the life of Essie Robeson, a remarkable woman whose achievements and activism shaped history. Eslanda second ed. highlights her contributions and legacy.
The biography Eslanda second ed. delves into the life of a remarkable woman who defied societal norms to carve out her own space in history. Essie Cardozo Goode Robeson was not just known as the wife of the famed Paul Robeson; she was a trailblazer in her own right. Her journey took her to significant historical events, from colonial Africa to the founding of the United Nations, highlighting her commitment to justice and equality across the globe.
As an anthropologist, journalist, and activist, Essie's multifaceted career spanned continents and crucial moments in history. The book illuminates her role as a fierce advocate for women's rights and an outspoken opponent of colonialism and racism. It also recounts her friendships with influential figures, her testimony before Senator McCarthy, and her unconventional open marriage that lasted over four decades. The narrative is rich with details that showcase her indomitable spirit and her contributions to both American and global history.
In Eslanda second ed., biographer Barbara Ransby reclaims Essie's legacy, shifting the focus from her husband's fame to her own significant achievements. The book not only celebrates Essie's life but also serves as a reminder of the powerful impact that one woman can have on the world. Through vivid storytelling, readers are invited to explore the life of a woman who truly made her mark in the twentieth century.
"Compelling."—Eleanor J. Bader, In These Times
"In this incredibly powerful, vital work, Ransby has rescued Eslanda Robeson from the shadows of her famous husband and establishes her as one of the most important activists, scholars, critics and theorists to connect anticolonialism with the black freedom movement in the U.S."— Robin D.G. Kelley
"Fascinating. . . A poignant portrait of a peripatetic, human rights activist willing to challenge oppression of any form wherever she could find it."—Kam Williams, Insight
"This long overdue biography of a bold scholar-activist emerging from the shadow of her famous husband is a gift, and such are Ransby's narrative skills that I wept when, in her final pages, the vibrant Essie died, two days shy of 70. Ransby has a history of rescuing historically overlooked black female leaders; a prior biography was of the venerable civil rights activist Ella Baker. This new work is a major contribution to her glorious reclamation project."—Joan Steinau Lester, Ms. Magazine
"What Barbara Ransby achieved in her biography of Ella Baker is repeated with verve and astonishing insight in Eslanda."— Herb Boyd, New York Amsterdam News
"From a master biographer and historian of African American women, this mesmerizing story of an extraordinary woman's life and struggles offers a global view of black radical history. After this book no one will be able to think of Eslanda merely as Mrs. Paul Robeson."—Linda Gordon, author, Dorothea Lange: A Life Beyond Limits
"Barbara Ransby has produced an insightful, fascinating, and significant biography. Eslanda Robeson has too long stood in the shadow of her remarkable husband, but as Ransby shows she was an important writer and political activist in her own right, whose life illuminates the international dimensions of the 20th-century black freedom movement."— Eric Foner, Columbia University
"This is an enormously rich book by a masterful biographer, full of novel insights and surprises."— Penny Von Eschen, University of Michigan
ISBN: 9781642596564
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
422 pages
2nd New edition