author
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Un-American Activities
A controversial and powerful House committee, it became one of the most recognizable symbols of Cold War anti-communism in the United States. Its investigations reached deep into public life, from government service to Hollywood, and left a lasting mark on American politics and culture.
3 Audiobooks
Investigation of Communist activities in Seattle, Wash., Area, Hearings, Part 2
by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Un-American Activities
Investigation of Communist activities in Seattle, Wash., area. Hearings, Part 3
by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Un-American Activities
Investigation of Communist Activities in Seattle, Wash., Area, Hearings, Part 1
by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Un-American Activities
About the author
Created in 1938, the House Committee on Un-American Activities—often known as HUAC—was charged with investigating suspected disloyalty, subversion, and extremist activity in the United States. It began as a select committee and became a permanent standing committee of the House in 1945.
Over time, the committee became especially known for high-profile hearings into alleged communist influence. Its work touched labor groups, government employees, writers, actors, directors, and others in the entertainment industry, helping fuel blacklisting and a wider climate of fear during the early Cold War.
In 1969, the committee was renamed the House Committee on Internal Security, and in 1975 it was abolished, with its remaining jurisdiction transferred to the House Judiciary Committee. Today, it is remembered both as a major force in twentieth-century congressional investigations and as a warning about the costs of political suspicion and public accusation.