Show Trial: Hollywood, HUAC, and the Birth of the Blacklist
National Archives Museum
Washington, DC
Thursday, October 20, 2022 - 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
In person and online
In 1947, the Cold War came to Hollywood. Over nine tumultuous days in October, the House Un-American Activities Committee held a notorious round of hearings into alleged Communist subversion in the movie industry. In Show Trial, Thomas Doherty takes us behind the scenes at the first full-on media-political spectacle of the postwar era. He details the theatrical elements of a proceeding that bridged the realms of entertainment and politics, a courtroom drama starring glamorous actors, colorful moguls, on-the-make congressmen, high-priced lawyers, single-minded investigators, and recalcitrant screenwriters, all recorded by newsreel cameras and broadcast over radio. A book signing will follow the program.
All events listed in the calendar are free unless noted.