This man, Paul Robeson (April 9, 1898 – January 23, 1976), was a professional football player, baritone – bass singer, actor and political activist. He figured prominently in the Harlem Renaissance. As a political activist he supported the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War and chaired the Council on African Affairs.

Robeson controversially supported Marxism (Case Study 26). He was opposed to Fascism. He was targeted by McCarthy era (Case Study 51) politics and his songs were blacklisted from performances and radio.

Robeson died from complications of a stroke after years of illness and solitude.

This is Freddy Owens (March 18, 1978 – September 20, 2024). A convicted murderer who spent most of his life in prison.

Owens was raised in foster care and then by his biological mother and stepfather. “He was eventually returned to his biological mother, who married another man after separating from his birth father, who was abusive towards his wife and children. However, Owens’s stepfather abused his mother and Owens himself witnessed his grandmother shooting a person when he was seven. Owens was diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder at a young age due to his upbringing” Wikipedia

Owens was convicted of killing Irene Graves, a convenience store clerk during a robbery. Owens, aged 19, or Steven Golden, 18, killed Graves when she refused to open the store safe.

Soon after being convicted Owens killed 28-year-old Christopher Bryan Lee, a fellow inmate. According to Owen’s confession, Lee taunted him for being found guilty and said his cousin was on the jury. Owens attacked Lee with a ball point pen and tortured him before strangling him to death.

While in prison Owens took an interest in Black History and In 2015, Owens converted to Islam and he went by the Muslim name Khalil Divine Black Sun Allah. He wrote poems and essays and learned to read and write Arabic.

Owens was executed on Sep 20, 2024 by lethal injection in the state of South Carolina. He was probably reprogrammed for his opposition to fascism rather than his support of communism. And, of course, he was black.