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The committee on Un-American activities

The committee on Un-American activities. Timisha Smith-Rafi and Miss. Tavella. House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). Lasted from 1938-1975. It was a committee of the House of Representatives. It was "created to investigate disloyalty and subversive organizations.”

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The committee on Un-American activities

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  1. The committee on Un-American activities Timisha Smith-Rafi and Miss. Tavella

  2. House of Un-American Activities Committee(HUAC) • Lasted from 1938-1975. • It was a committee of the House of Representatives. It was "created to investigate disloyalty and subversive organizations.” • Their main purpose was to search out communists in America.

  3. A brief HUAC History • Began as a Special Investigation Committee under Chairman Martin (who dies in 1938). • Became the House Committee on Un-American Activities in 1945. • Became the House Committee on Internal Security in 1969. • Abolished in 1975.

  4. THE GOAL • The house of Un-American Activities Committee tried to get the names of members of the communist party, and proof from witnesses or prior members. Witnesses who didn't answer were held for contempt of congress.

  5. THE PURPOSE • Having such a vague name, made it possible for the Committee to make accusations over a wide variety of offenses without much hard evidence.

  6. AMERICAN JUSTICE? • On April 24, 1960, the students at University of California protested the un-fair "trials” for the people accused of being members of the communist party. • The audience and Jury were made up of people who were for the H.U.A.C., making the trials unfair. • HUAC controversial tactics contributed to fear, distrust and repression that existed during the anti-communist 1950s and early 1960s.

  7. Alger hiss case (1948) • The most infamous case about Communists infiltrating the federal government began in August 1948. • Whittaker Chambers (a confessed former Communist Spy) accused Alger Hiss of being a Communist Spy before the HUAC. • Hiss (formally a high official in the U.S. Department of State, had apparently given Chambers a secret government document in the 30’s.

  8. Alger hiss case (1948) • Microfilms of confidential government papers were presented by Chambers as evidence. • One of the members of the HUAC in the late 1940s was a first term U.S. representative from California named Richard Nixon; he played a prominent role in the Alger hiss spy hearing in the 1948 by testifying against him. • 20 years later he was elected the 37th president of the United states. • He was sentenced to jail for 44 months (3 years 8 months) • Hiss continued to proclaim his innocence for the rest of his life.

  9. In other words…. • The HUAC was a committee whose main purpose was to accuse people of communism and put them in jail. However, they didn't have evidence to back up their claims which caused much controversy among the committee.

  10. The impact • America’s political hub on anti-communism • Established the initial framework for McCarthyism • Political Backing • Seen as more crucial than public support • Tied in with FDR’s existing anti-radical policies

  11. The impact • Nazi-Soviet Pact encouraged anti-communist hostility • Heavily impacted by international conflict • Increased anti-communist fears in the USA • Facilitated a US government offensive on domestic reds

  12. The impact • Hollywood blacklisting led to high-profile media frenzy. • People’s reaction: • Some believed the HUAC did a valuable service. • Others argued the HUAC abused its powers and violated many constitutional rights of witnesses. • Many witnesses could not cross-examine their accusers • Many believed the matter should have been left up to the FBI/Law enforcement and not some committee created by the House of Reps.

  13. Hollywood 10 • The climax of the investigations was when the Hollywood 10, a group of writers and directors, were called to testify in October 1947. • The TEN refused to cooperate and used their public appearance to denounce the HUAC’s tactics. • The entire group was cited for contempt of Congress and sentenced to jail time. • They were also blacklisted from Hollywood

  14. The Hollywood 10 • Alvah Bessie: Screenwriter

  15. The Hollywood 10 • Herbert Biberman: Screenwriter and Director

  16. The Hollywood 10 • Lester Cole: Screenwriter

  17. The Hollywood 10 • EdwrdDmytryk: Director

  18. The Hollywood 10 • Ring Lardner Jr.: Screenwriter

  19. The Hollywood 10 • John Howard Lawson: Screenwriter

  20. The Hollywood 10 • Albert Maltz: Screenwriter

  21. The Hollywood 10 • Samuel Ornitz: Screenwriter

  22. The Hollywood 10 • Adrian Scott: Producer and Screenwriter

  23. The Hollywood 10 • Dalton Trumbo: Screenwriter

  24. Many major studios imposed a strict blacklist policy against actors, directors, writers and other personal implicated in communist activity.

  25. Refrences • http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6440 • http://libguides.ecu.edu/content.php?pid=448043&sid=3671474 • http://www.bpl.org/govinfo/online-collections/federal-congressional/house-committee-un-american-activities-1957-1958/ • http://www.gwu.edu/~erpapers/teachinger/glossary/huac.cfm • http://www.history.com/topics/house-un-american-activities-committee • http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAhuac.htm • Images Used • http://atrahasisblog.wordpress.com/tag/arthur-miller/ • http://www.blacklistedjournalist.com/column108i.html • http://www.listal.com/list/blacklisted-in-hollywood

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