Un-American Activities Committee was an investigating committee of the United States House of Representatives. It investigated the threat of subversion (overthrowing the government) by groups in the United States and recommended legislation to the House.
The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) grew from a special investigating committee established in 1938. It became a standing (permanent) committee in 1945. In 1969, the House changed the committee’s name to the Committee on Internal Security. The House abolished the committee in 1975.
The committee’s main interest was to search for Communist influence inside and outside the government. After World War II ended in 1945, many people viewed such investigations as a contribution to the struggle against world Communism. President Harry S. Truman established a loyalty-security program in 1947 after it was discovered that some Communists had held jobs within the government before and during the war. The committee also investigated the activities of other radical or extremist groups.
The committee received attention in 1947 for its hearings on the influence of Communism in the motion-picture industry. But it gained its greatest fame in 1948 during its investigation of Communists in the Department of State. Its hearings led to the perjury trial and conviction of Alger Hiss, a former high official of the department (see Hiss, Alger ). Representative Richard M. Nixon, a committee member, played a key role in the investigation (see Nixon, Richard M. (U.S. representative) ).
After the Hiss case, the Un-American Activities Committee looked into suspected Communist influence in almost all areas of life. Committees in the U.S. Senate and in state legislatures also investigated Communist influence. As a result, public employees and a number of employees in private industries had to take loyalty oaths. Persons accused of Communist associations were blacklisted (denied employment) by some firms.
Many people believed the committee performed a valuable service by protecting the United States from Communism. Critics, however, charged that the committee often abused its investigative power and violated the constitutional rights of witnesses. Some critics felt that people labeled as subversives should have the right to cross-examine their accusers. Others believed that the discovery of conspirators should be the responsibility of the police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the courts. Decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States in the 1950’s and 1960’s curbed the committee’s activities. For example, the court ruled that witnesses may refuse to answer any questions unrelated to the matter under investigation.
