1. The Red Scare & The Hollywood Blacklist
Modern details behind The Crucible

2. 2nd Red Scare – 1945-1957 After WWII – Communist activity
Soviet Union (USSR) controlled most of Eastern Europe
Korea, China, Italy
Soviets had nuclear bomb
Americans feared nuclear attack

3. Communist organizations in the US
Fear of communist sympathizers (pinks) & spies
Julius & Ethel Rosenberg
Smith Act: passed by Congress in 1940
Illegal to be a part of a “subversive” organization (like a communist organization)
Foreign nationals required to register with the federal government

4. Suspicion turns to Investigation
1946: birth of HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee)
1947: Pres. Truman creates Federal Employees Loyalty Program
Wisc. Senator Joseph McCarthy led many investigations

5. Other Red Scare Effects
Fallout shelters
“Duck-and-cover” drills
Cincinnati Reds became the “Redlegs” to avoid association to communism

6. The Hollywood Blacklist
CPUSA attracted many young people in show biz
October 1947: 43 people called as witnesses in an investigation to see if Communist messages were in movies
Ronald Reagan & Walt Disney testified that there were communists in Hollywood

7. The Hollywood 10 19 refused to testify; 11 were called before HUAC
Bertolt Brecht – YES, I’m a communist!
The other 10 refused to speak; citing 1st Amendment rights
Arrested for contempt of court
Hollywood 10 were fired & denied any more work

8. The Blacklist Edward Dmytryk – admits & gets job back
American Legion & Red Channels
Together, name ≈ 225 “communists” in show biz
All denied employment (blacklisted); many called before HUAC
Defendants pleaded the 5th – immediately blacklisted

9. Witnesses Either “friendly” or “unfriendly”
Friendly witnesses were required to admit to being a communist at one time and name the names of other communists
Unfriendly: Arthur Miller

10. Ruined results of the Blacklist
Blacklisted workers had to leave the US to get work
Salt of the Earth
Richard Collins (friendly) divorced wife Dorothy Comingore (unfriendly)
Died at age 58 of alcoholism
suicides
Premature strokes & heartattacks

11. Things die down… Edward R. Murrow works to censure Sen. McCarthy
1957: John Henry Faulk, radio personality, sues CBS for firing (wins)
1958: Blacklisted names fade, but some don’t work until 1960s or later
HUAC loses power; is disbanded in 1968