According to Paul Robeson, Jr., the controversy about multiculturalism is in fact a profound
ideological struggle over the values of our national culture. More than a question of the politics of race and gender,
the debate is about whether melting-pot culture, the foundation of American life, should be replaced by a mosaic
culture incorporating the values of the diverse groups that make up America's population. Robeson contends that the
melting pot image has not worked for Blacks, who are excluded by definition from the blended culture of the ethnic
American dream. Basing his argument in part on a rejection of the idea of radical individualism, the author suggests
that the absence of a concept of group rights in American history places Blacks at a disadvantage. Radical individualism,
as a philosophy, rejects the premise of civil rights for groups, which in modern parlance is termed "group tyranny".
Robeson attacks mainstream American culture itself in a series of interrelated essays on his father (Paul Robeson),
Clarence Thomas, liberals and conservatives, cultural diversity in the workplace, gender and minorities, Blacks and Jews,
the Black middle class, and the university. What is needed, Robeson contends, is a new understanding of the nature of
a culture of diversity - one that also celebrates Blacks, women, and other presently marginalized groups as visible
and distinct actors.
Paul Leroy Robeson Jr. (November 2, 1927 – April 26, 2014) was an American author, archivist and historian.
son of Paul Leroy Robeson April 9, 1898 – January 23, 1976) was an American bass-baritone concert artist,
stage and film actor, professional football player, and activist who became famous both for his cultural
accomplishments and for his political stances.