HUAC

H.U.A.C

Period: Jan 1, 1918 to Dec 31, 1975

The Overman Committee

Sep 17, 1918

It was a committee that investigated German and Bolshevik elements in the U.S. It then later investigated communist Bolshevism.

The Fish Committee

May 5, 1930

This committee made extensive investigations into persons and organizations that were suspected of supporting or being communist.

McCormack-Dickstein Committee

Period: Sep 17, 1934 to Sep 17, 1937

It was created to investigate Nazi propaganda and other propaganda activities. It was to get "information on how foreign subversive propaganda entered the U.S. and the organizations that were spreading it." It investigated allegations of a plot to seize the White House.

Dies Committee

Period: May 26, 1938 to Dec 31, 1944

The House Committee on Un-American Activities was established to investigate disloyalty of private and public citizens, and organizations suspected to have communist or fascist ties.

The Smith Act

Jun 29, 1940

The Alien Registration Act, also known as the Smith Act, was passed this day, allowing the incarceration of those suspected for being disloyal to America

The HUAC Becomes Permanent

Sep 17, 1945

Almost Investigating the KKK

Sep 17, 1946

The Committee considered investigating the KKK, but decided against it

Truman's Loyalty Act

Mar 21, 1947

Truman’s loyalty Act, otherwise known as Executive Order 9835, became the first general loyalty program in the US and was established in order to root out Communists in the government. The order let the FBI run name checks on 2 million federal employees. If loyalty was suitably questioned, employees could be fired.

Hollywood Ten

Nov 25, 1947

The Hollywood Ten are the first to be blacklisted

Dennis v. United States

Jun 4, 1951

Several higher members of the American Communist Party were convicted under the Smith Act, declaring that they did not have the right of the First Amendment under the Smith Act.

High Noon

Jul 24, 1952

The last movie from Carl Foreman before he was forced to leave the country due to being blacklisted. A movie about four bandits who attempt to take over a town and a marshal who has to stop them without any sort of support from the rest of the town. Symbolic of the a smaller group standing up against a bigger force

Salt of the Earth

Mar 14, 1954

Considered to be propaganda for the USSR Everyone who had helped produce the movie was blacklisted The movie challenged conservative McCarthy era values and as a result was considered subversive and communist, such as the idea of overthrowing a regime. The movie was focused on racial and gender equality and labor issues, issues that were labeled as communist during the McCarthy eraMany viewed it as an attempt to “undermine” HUAC

Yates v. United States

Jun 17, 1957

14 lower officials of the Communist Party of the USA were convicted with violating the Smith Act. The defense was that the party was using passive acts, and that violation of the Smith Act must involve active attempts to overthrow the government. The case went to the Supreme Court and was decided that the First Amendment protected them unless they posed a “clear and present danger”

The Committee Investigates the KKK

Sep 17, 1965

Under Edwin Willis, the committee investigates the KKK