Transcripts For CSPAN3 Hollywood Blacklist 70th Year Commemoration 20171118

Congress and hollywood filmmakers. Tv,ext on American History blacklist survivors, family members read testimonies and statements from those subpoenaed during the testimony. The Writers Guild foundation and hollywood progressives host this event. Onthe record will show that october 27, 1947, the subcommittee of the House Unamerican Activities Committee at with the chairman, dishonorable jail time is providing desperate siding. The House Unamerican Activities Committee is in session. Let yourself go. [laughter] there are not even subpoenas im going to speak anyway. My name is Richard Dreyfuss. [applause] i am a child of the blacklist. My parents were not in show business, but they were the victims of the blacklist nonetheless. I lived on 2 eighteen st in bayside queens and every house on that block was either a communist or socialist. If you had not fought hitlers and had not gone to the Abraham Lincoln brigade, you better have a dam good reason. [applause] when i was a young boy, i irned to my mom and i said, am the luckiest kid in the world. She said, why . Because i am white, jewish, and american. She said it is time that you came to the meetings. [applause] 10, i turned to a friend of my fathers, tommy, and i said, i get it. You are a totalitarian psychopath your totalitarian psychopath is better than his totalitarian psychopath, and that was the end of me being a red diaper baby. Remain, the most influential moral influences on my life and character. They loved america. As few people have ever loved it. When they came back from the second world war, they were accused of being premature antifascists. Lets think about that phrase for a second. Premature antifascists means that you are against hitlers too soon. [laughter] really had a hidden agenda and you are a communist. Know that i grew up with those who talked and those who didnt. Childrensed among the of both sides. I was moved and outraged as a child. At what had been happening, and i remain outraged. Hollywood is a place that has no room for this here and now, or then. [applause] there are republicans in this town who believe that they are being blacklisted. And i dont know if it is so, but if it is so, they have the right to the same moral outrage as we have. Underscore one point, this is not about politics. Iswas never about politics politics. It was about a style and to terrifyechnique ever rise your best friend until he turned on you and denied the only way you had to feed your children. That was mccarthyism. That was the blacklist. It was an act of humiliation. If it is going on today, we should be ashamed of it. [applause] ask mengrew up i would , would been blacklisted you work with a nazi . As they were putting their thoughts together, i said because they thought you were a nazi. It does not mitigate and it does not change too much, but it gives you a little glimpse, this is a complex thing. This is not simple. This is something that gives our profession and our lives true meaning. I will now tell you my story. Some years ago, there was an article written by a writer named mark steyn who was sullen attitude of the present left in hollywood, because they were opposed to a malia kazan getting a Lifetime Achievement award. In the article, he said dreyfuss had a company that opposed anything that he had done in his post testimony anticommunist crusade. Letter,ote mr. Stein a which i dont know if he got, because he did not answer. I said, mr. Stein, i want you to know that you have done me to largest and greatest favor i have ever received. I did not know i wanted it until you gave it to me. I have wanted to be named. [laughter] 1 and you named me. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You misunderstand mccarthyism and you misunderstand the blacklist. I told him that it was a personal thing. It was your best friend. I went on to say if ilya kazan had not received eight Academy Awards for best director or best writer, there may have been some excuse to think about honoring him, but having had those honors i can only think that giving him a life Achievement Award was a testimony to his moral character. For that, i have a clear negative no. Life was the life of a serial betrayer. Studio,yed the actors hes betrayed lee strasburg, he just betrayed stella adler, he betrayed the United States of america, and every fellow communist in his life. 30 years he capped it after he had stopped his career, he wrote a book which was autobiography. In that book, he named, for the first time, the names of the wives of the men who had stuck by him for 30 years who he had fucked. Men and women all over the upper side of new york had to look at one another in their living with horror and shock. He had to betray somebody. I was at the time, if there that night, i would be standing, sitting on my hands. I am standing, sitting on my hands now. , it isy is the terror not the party. My enemy is your enemy. It is the terror, the mass hysteria that sweeps us all, left and right. To findve long enough that the children of the left and the blacklist are shutting down rightwing speakers at universities, we have entered hell. [applause] thank you very much, mr. Dreyfuss. Shut up. [laughter] it is your responsibility to change it. Get your kids educated, dont keep them so stupid. [laughter] point of order. Thank you, mr. Dreyfuss. To her words have never been spoken. Wordsr much more truer have never been spoken. For much more of that check out the dreyfuss initiative. Ladies and gentlemen, our host for the tonight, the grandchildren of two persecuted. Fairfield, the granddaughter of blacklisted screenwriter robert lees. He was a screenwriter of avid and costello meet frankenstein. Thank you. Don williams, playwright and managing artistic director of the artist acting studio. Actors jesse staccato of the Harold Service Laboratory Theater company and david lang l who has acted in ray donovan and masters of sex. Hollywood blacklist, probably the most notorious cultural event of the american cold war years, should be seen in the larger context of firings, persecution, career losses, j lanes, and fbi surveillance that extended from one at a decade after 1947. And echo . Ck an echo . Today is the 70th anniversary before of john lawson testifying before the House Unamerican Activities Committee. There were earlier hearings, including testimony of ferocious anticommunist such as walt disney and huac has some at other artists including hanz eidler. The blacklist was focused on hollywood. To getire way for huac headlines. This wave of repression extended far beyond tinseltown, taking and activists and others across america. By 1950, it has spawned mccarthyism which concentrated on u. S. Government and military personnel. Lets make something clear, from to palmer raids, to huac, today. The u. S. Government repression has generally been aimed at the american left. The night, amid new attacks on the First Amendment, we remember the hollywood blacklist. We have readings from huac transcripts, statements artists refuse to make, and other blacklist related tax. They havent edited for time and clarity and will be read by flak with survivors, relatives of pursuit pursued artists persecuted artists. We will also have special videos plus a clip from a new documentary called red and blue. We have a full program. With a one intermission performance in the lobby. We will include testimony instead of dwelling on ability and victim at. Tonight, we pay tribute to valor. Those intrepid victors who refuse to be intimidated by the iron heel of the state. We honor them for their heroic defiance. They stood up and often valiantly placed themselves in the line of fire as gladiators for justice. We pay homage to them all by reading their fighting words. And now, the granddaughter of kirk douglas, who helped break the blacklist, actress kelsie douglas. Kelsey will read a statement written by her grandfather kirk douglas for tonights 70th anniversary celebration of the hollywood blacklist. [applause] thank you, for letting me participate. The blacklist is very personal to me. I know many people whose lives and careers were adversely affected by it. Now . E better then let me start over. Thank you for letting me participate. The blacklist is very personal to me, for i know many people whose lives were adversely affected by it. As you recall, the Writers Guild was kind enough to give me a floral a word award in 1991 for breaking the blacklist. I treasure that honor, but i wish there was never a blacklist to break. Looking back, it is shocking that something so inherently unamerican could last for more than a decade. It outlived both congressman J Parnell Thomas, the disgraced chairman of the american Activities Committee and senator John Mccarthy who became the senates permanent subcommittee on investigating i myself was never a target. I was not important enough. I may only one picture, the strange love of martha ivers. In 1946. Two years later, both of them were on the blacklist. By the time senator joe mccarthy claimed he had lists of hundreds of communist in open Senate Hearings, my standing in hollywood had risen considerably. I had an oscarnominated for champion, written by carl foreman, who penned my film young man with a horn. Carl was blacklisted. I used to visit him in london where he fled just days before the state department pulled the task force. He told me his hollywood friends were afraid to be seen with him, even outside of america. Lee grant made a brilliant film debut with me. It brought her an oscar nomination for best actress. At herticized huac Memorial Service and refused to testify against her husband. She too was blacklisted. Her band lasted longer than the marriage, a full 10 years. I was indignant about the witchhunt and washington, but that is as far as it went for me. Like most people, i follow the 1947 hearings on the radio and later watched the Senate Hearings on television during the mccarthy years. Aside from my outrage when mgm made me sign a loyalty oath in ,rder to play Vincent Van Gogh i was far too busy with my new production company. Little did i realize how deeply the hearings would impact my life. Today, Dalton Trumbo, the highestpaid screenwriter in the business and one of hollywoods most colorful characters was in washington being battered by J Parnell Thomas and his House Unamerican Activities Committee. Had not been convicted of contempt of congress and then blacklisted, i could never have afforded to hire him. Or rather his alter ego, sam jackson. Then there was Howard Howard fast he used his time to write a novel about a slave in rome. Making a film from a book written by a communist and using a writer rumored to be Dalton Trumbo made me a hard it made me a target, they threaten to destroy me and the film. I did not putr, daltons name on the screen because playing spartacus had gone to my head. I was no hero. I was tired of being a hypocrite. Blacklisted writers, just as long as they did not step on the lot. Of course, we had to hide their true identities, although it was an open the great which blacklisted writer was working on what. Maybe it was Stanley Kubrick who pushed me over the edge. We were sitting around deciding whose name should go on as writer in the credits. Stanley volunteered to help us out by letting us use his. [laughter] i was shocked that he would want to take credit for someone elses work. After id made the decision, i celebrated by inviting dalton for lunch at universal. I left a pass for him at the gates, met him there, and we walked together to the commissary. What will you have today, mr. Trumbo, i asked in a loud voice when the waiter came by. It was one of the best lunches i ever with eight. Ate. [applause] ague, kelsey. We are honored by your presence. Thank you, kelsey. We are honored by your presence. Khan is the son of the screenwriter of a yank on the parma road. Senoritawboy and the starring earl rogers and trigger. Khan wrote over 40 films including all quiet on the western front and the african queen. He also wrote hollywood on trial, a book that attacks huac and inferior edited infuriated j edgar hoover. For his socalled thought crimes, gordon became one of the hollywood 19. Is a veteran producer and host on in the art. Blacklistedthe docudrama series. In honor of the 70th anniversary of the blacklist, he has written a new play, the hounded box about this pursuit of his father by j edgar hoover. Tony will now tell us about the hollywood 19 and his father gordon. Thank you. Tovilege is too small a word use for the experience to be here with you tonight. I hope it is only the first 70th anniversary. Only claimed to have written additional dialogue for trigger, he never said he created the character. He did introduce roy rogers to dale evensen. That may have been one of his greatest contribution to the culture. As you probably know, this may be old history, but the hollywood 10 were not the only witnesses who were called to appear before huac 70 years ago today. Bear joe brasch 8 other producers and screenwriters were also slated to go to washington and testify. In case you dont know their names, they deserve to be repeated. Those eight men were larry parks , robert ross, lewis milestone, irving potential pitchell. The remaining four were cardcarrying members of the screenWriters Guild. There was roger who went on to write server co serpico. Robert koch, best known for casablanca. Richard who eventually informed on seven people. I rented to his son and he did not want to talk about the experiences of the children, they had it just as bad or worse of the kids as the kids whose parents did not testify. I said, im going to say this but your dad, how do you feel about that . I said, im going to say that your father did not name 27 people, what do you want me to say, have you feel about that . He said he said tell them the truth. 10 thenc called these stop the hearings. Of these eight surviving men, no one heard that they had to say to the committee because the committee was no longer in session. To their returned investigation of hollywood in 1950, the committee decided to pick up where they left off which was with my father. Rumors were circulating at that had submittedver plans to president truman to send american communists to concentration cap. The same way concentration caps. The same camps. The same waited for the japanese. Rather than faith that possibility, my father fled to mexico where we lived for the that possibility, my father fled to mexico where we lived for 10 years five years. He died, still blacklisted at the age of 62. My father never had a chance to address his feelings publicly, he does so in private did so in private. First, it is from a letter to my mother in june of 1950. He was in boston at the time, recovering from surgery. He had just learned, from a man at a barbershop, that somebody with a subpoena might already be on his way to our door. He rushed home, packed a bag, left my older brother and me in b and told us he was going to San Francisco and fled to mexico. My brother was eight, i was five, and he probably thought it was a good idea not to entrust us with the truth. Dearest barbara, on monday night when the sabina subpoena was almost served, i decided to get out. There was no use waiting for an extra hour. If in full flight from any iinciple id like possess, if recanted every decent thing i believe to them, it would not be enough. They want to know, now that you are purged, who else. Give us names and places. I lived with myself for a minute after a did i did a thing like that, could i base my children . Face my children . They would spit on me and be justified doing so. Leave, iame time to cant even write about it now. The kids were just mystified. I cant find the words to tell you how miserable i feel that i have to leave them now or not at all. I keep seeing their faces and heres every mile of the trip. Worry, i will hold you in my arms soon. Nine months later we were you reunited and began our five year and began ourted five year exile. This is probably the last thing he ever wrote. It is a single sentence. My mother found it on a piece of paper on his desk in New Hampshire where he had left it the day before he died. It said, i stood before the tribunal of my own mind. She thought it was so true to the man that she knew and had without15 years complaint. She had it engraved on his tombstone. I was 17 when he died, i did the blacklist, not as an ideological and political fight, but as a family crisis that ive been plagued by for my whole life. I can seegrown older, those words embody the meaning to him of his life, not just as a loyal friend and a father who wanted to set a good example for his two boys, but as a Good American. I stand before the tribunal of my own mind. Those are the very words that i tonk he would have used define the committee if he had a chance. Thank you very much. Mr. Tony kahn. Marsha hunt, actress marsha hunt. Do we have marsha here . Did she make it . Actress marcia hot was born in chicago a century ago this month. Was born innt chicago a century ago this month. If she coming up . This is great. She first appeared on screen at the age of 18. [applause] hey. Look at that. You look beautiful, doesnt she look beautiful . Lets give her a happy birthday. Happy birthday to you happy birthday to you we have a band. Marsha,birthday dear happy birthday to you go for it, lets hear it. Happy birthday dear marsha, happy birthday you. And many more. She first appeared on screen at the age of 18 in the 1935 paramount picture the Virginia Judge and went on to act in many productions including acting across from lorna looked laurence olivier. After she joined the committee for the First Amendment broadcast of hollywood fights back Radio Program and flew to washington to observe the huac hearings featuring cholos and and other members of the hollywood 10, her bigscreen roles banished i think we have the documentary film maker here. You have to see this documentary, it is terrific. Hunts sweetmarsha adversity. Thank you for all that. You are probably overwhelmed by now with those niceties, but it has been a full and wonderfully fortunate life i have had a chance to speak up now and then. Im happy i was able to do it. There are no regrets. That was wonderful. [applause] you never answered the question, are you now or have you ever been a member of the communist party . I didnt hear that. I said, are you a communist . I have been called one often enough. I am not even sure i ever met one. [laughter] , lookt does one look like to your right and look to your left, it is probably someone sitting next to you. Let me help you down here. [applause] it doesnt feel very secure, but it is. We call Howard Lawson to testify. 70 years ago today this is what marsha and other eyewitnesses saw and washington as the first member of the hollywood 10 john lawson testified. John lawson was the president of what is now the Writers Guild of america. He was also apparent allegedly the head of the coming as hollywood branch. Communist hollywood branch. Blacklist, he was a next her hollywood witness, he refused to grovel before gavels. Globe awardolden and was known for portraying the news man lou grant. He also appeared in the landmark readies miniseries rich man poor man and roots. He depicted the attorney for the fictionalized rosenberg, the socalled atomic spies were the only civilians executed for espionage during the cold war. He also gave voice to carl fredrickson. In 2009. He is also renowned as a tireless human rights championship. He clashed with the Central American policies of president reagan, who was an fbi informant who betrayed actors. Here in a video especially shopper our commemoration, i think we can roll the curtains down, and asner reads john Howard Lawson lost testimony lawsons testimony. Enjoy. I have aairman, statement here which i wish to make. Make your statement. I dont care to read anymore that statement. I read the first line. You spent one week bill of vilifying me before the american public. You refused to allow me to make a statement. Protect against the unwillingness of this committee to read a statement when you permitted mr. Water, mr. Mayor, and others to read statements in this room. Bemr. Lawson, you will responsive to these questions and stop trying to interrupt. I am not on trial here mr. Chairman. This committee is on trial here. This committee is on trial here. People the american let us demonstrate, i wish to frame my own answers to your questions and i intend to do so. It is absolutely the power of this committee to inquire into any association into my association in any organization. Mr. Lawson, stop or leave the witness stand. You believe the witness stand because you are in contempt. That is why you believe the witness stand. If you are trying to force me to put you in contempt, you will not have to try much harder. You know what happens to a lot of people that of any contempt of committee. You have made it perfectly clear that you are going to threaten and intimidate witnesses. And i am noterican easy to intimidate. Mr. Lawson. Are you now or have you ever been a member of the communist party of the United States . Before i answer that question, i must emphasize the point that i raised before. Is, instion of communism no way, related to this inquiry, which is an attempt to get and to of the screen deny the rights of american citizens in all fields. I must object. Is the question of my membership in any political organization, but this committee is attempting to establish the right that has been historically denied to any committee of this sort. To invade the rights and oferties and immunity american citizens whether they be protestants, methodists, jewish, or catholic. Whether they be republicans or americans. Mr. Lawson, quiet down. The present question we can ask is whether or not you have ever been a member of the communist party. Do you care to answer that question . You are using the old technique with the use that was used in hitlers germany in order to create a false atmosphere the bill of rights was established precisely to prevent the operation of any committee which would debate the basic rights of americans. Mr. Chairman, the witness is not answering the question. The perjury mr. Lawson do you permit me and my attorney to bring in the witnesses, and you prevent us best permit us to cross examine these witnesses permit us to cross examine these witnesses . We will show up we are ordering you to answer that question. If we have to stay here for a , are you a member of the copy or have you ever been a party or communist have you ever been a member . It is tragic that i have to tell this committee the basic principles of america. Is not the question. The question is have you ever been a member of the communist party. I am framing my answer in the only way that any american citizen can frame his answer to a question which absolutely is evades hisay just rights. You refuse to answer that question, is that correct . I have offered my beliefs and Everything Else to the american public. Excuse the witness. I will continue to fight for the bill of rights. Bill of rights, which you are trying to destroy. Take this man away from the stand. All there will be no demonstration for or against. Everyone please be seated. [applause] no demonstration. [applause] order. We call albert to the witness stand. Fewlbert was one of the unfriendly witnesses allowed to to huac. Atement quisling was an investigator for huac grand daughter reads parts of her grandfathers statement. City,s born in mexico where her parents had lived since the age of seven. She left mexico in 1967 after the passing of her grandmother and lived in San Francisco. Over the last 20 years, she has been an actress and production manager. Issue here is she here . [applause] thank you. I am an american and i believe that there is no more proud work in the vocabulary of man. I am a novelist and screenwriter and i have produced a certain body of work in the past 15 years. Haveth any writer, what i written this come from the total fabric of my life. Games, our and atmosphere of freedom, how tradition of inquiry, criticism, and discussion, tolerance. Whatever america im, america has made me. I have no loyalty as great as the one i have to this land, to the economic and social welfare of its people, and to the perpetuation and development of its democratic way of life. 39, i amhe age of commanded to appear before the House Committee on unamerican activities. Her a full week, this committee has encouraged an assortment of well rehearsed witnesses to testify that i and others are subversive and unamerican. It has refused us the opportunity that any pickpocket receives in the magistrate courts. The right to cross examine these witnesses, to refute their testimony, to reveal their motives, their history, and who exactly they are. Furthermore, it grants these witnesses congressional immunity so that we not may not sue them for libel or slander. I maintain that this is an evil and vicious procedure. That this is illegally unjust and morally indecent. It places in danger every other american since the rights of andne citizen can be evaded the constitutional guarantees of and the other american have been subverted and no one any longer protected from official tyranny. My film, the pride of the marines, was premiered in 20 cities. Under the auspices of the goddesses marine corps. Another film, destination tokyo, was premiered aboard a u. S. Submarine and was adopted by the navy as an official training film. A short film, the house i live in, was given a special award by the academy of motion xers arts and sciences Motion Pictures arts and sciences for its contribution to racial tolerance. This is a body of work for which this Committee Urges i be blacklisted in the film industry. Way,row, if it has its , must not be allowed to write does the censorship stop with me or have the others been singled out for attack . If it requires acceptance of the ideas of this committee to remain immune from the brand on americanism, un who is safe except for members of the clue and. Clan clue clucks klan. Ux why else would Thomas Jefferson write an opinion and the just maintenance of it shall never be a crime in my view. Very well then. Why ire the other reasons and others have been commanded to appear before this committee, our ideas. In common with many americans, i supported the new deal. In common with many americans, i andorted against mr. Thomas mr. Renton, the antilynching bill. I signed petitions for these measures and joined organizations to advocate and contributed money and will continue to do so. I will take my philosophy from thomas payne, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and i will not be dictated to or intimidated by matterwhom the kkk, as a of committee record, is an acceptable american institution. That on manyer questions of Public Interest my opinions as a citizen have not always been with the opinions of the majority. They are not now nor have they ever been fixed and unchanging. Nor are they now fixed or unchangeable. Right or wrong, i claim, and i insist upon my rights to speak freely, to join the republican ,arty or the communist party the democratic, or the prohibition party, to publish whatever i please. To fix my mind or change my mind without dictation from anyone. To offer any criticism i see fitting of any public official or policy. To join any organization i please no matter what certain legislatures may think of them. Above all, i challenge the right of this committee to inquire into my political or religious beliefs or in any manner or degree, and i insist that the conduct of the committee not the conduct of the committee but its very existence are a subversion of the bill of rights. If i were a spokesman for general franco i would not be here today, i would rather die than be a shabby american. A shabby american groveling people who carry out motives in america like those carried out in germany by goebbels and himmler. The American People will have to choose between the bill of rights and the thomas committee, they cannot have both. One or the other. One are the out what are the other must be abolished. One or the other must be abolished. Are you now or have you ever been a member of the communist party . Ive answered the question. I object to that statement. Excuse the witness. Pinko communist lying. [applause] order. 27, ring age of lardner junior won an oscar for woman of the year. He went on to write antifascist movies like tomorrow the world and the film though our classic laura. Today is one of the hollywood 10, he served time as one of the hollywood 10 he served time behind bars with lester cole and J Parnell Thomas. After the blacklist ring one is he won his second academy. Ward for mash lets hope we get out of here before the second korean war. [laughter] mike farrell as an actor, writer, and protector producer best known for his role on bash. Mash. Since 1994 he has been before the invasion of iraq he cofounded artists united to win without war. [applause] mr. Lardner, how long have you been a writer . About 10 years. Mr. Chairman, ive a short statement. The committee is unanimous in the fact that after you testify you may read your statement. Are you a member of the screenWriters Guild . , i would likeng to be cooperative about that, but there are limits my cooperation. I do not want to help you divide or smash this particular guilt or infiltrate the Motion Picture business in any way, the purpose of which seems to be to control that business. To control what the American People can see or hear in their Motion Picture theaters. , dont you like the others or you will never read your statement. I understood that you set i would be permitted to read the statement. Yes, after you are finished with the questions and answers. Yes. You certainly have not answered the questions. I am going to answer the questions, but i do not think that you qualify your statement that i would be allowed to read the statement. I will qualify it now. If you refuse to answer questions, you will not reach her statement. Read your statement. That as an indirect way of saying you do not want me to read the statement. I am not very good at haranguing and i want try it, but it seems to me that if you make me answer this question tomorrow, you , ask make somebody else somebody else that they believe in spiritualism. There is no chance of us asking anybody if they believe in spiritualism. You might. You have not learned your lines very well. As an also concerned american with the question of whether this committee has the right to ask me all right. Now or have are you you ever been a member of the communist party . Well, i would like to answer that question. It seems to me you are trying to discredit the screenWriters Guild through me and the Motion Pictures industry through our whole practice of freedom of expression. You and others are members of the communist party, you are the ones who are discrediting the screenWriters Guild. Im trying to state how i feel about the purpose of the question, which is, as i believe, to discredit the Motion Picture industry. You are refusing to answer the question. I am saying that my understanding as an american are you or have you ever been a member of the communist party . I could answer that exactly the way you want mr. Chairman, it depends on the circumstances. Even if i did, i would hate myself in the morning. [applause] leave the witness chair. I think im leaving my fourth. By force. The Committee Call samuel ornettes ornitz ornitz wrote three faces west. His grandniece is reading his testimony. Are you a member of the screenWriters Guild . I wish to reply to that question by saying that this is a question of conference constants for me conscience for me. Are you a member of the screenWriters Guild . I am responding to that question with the best of my abilities. ,f i may reply in less detail andquestion of conscience Constitutional Rights are not Simple Matters to me. Kindly, let me answer the question. I am asking is a citizen and taxpayer and representative of my government. Let me answer the question conscientiously. Raise ao ace serious question when you asked me to ask in concert review to override the modern institution. Wait a minute, let me answer. Ask the next question. Youre asking me to violate the constitutional guarantee it does not involve a constitutional guarantee. It does. Are you a member of the communist party . I wish to state that my political affiliations, like my religious affiliations, are fully guaranteed by the constitution. I can belong to any party and you have no right to inquire. This witness refuses to reply. I have replied. Stand aside. Next witness. [applause] he is a french filmmaker screenwriter, novelist, and journalist. He wrote the documentary red and blue about hollywoods description of he flew from paris to take part in the celebration. Later, they are screening a clip of their film, a clip of the film tonight here. Reads the huac testimony. Are you now or have you ever been a member of the communist party in any country . I have heard, are you now or have you ever been a member of the communist party in any country . I have heard my colleagues consider this question not as proper. I am a guest in this country and i do not want to answer in any illegal arguments. I will answer your question fully as well as i can. I was not a member and am not a member of any communist party. Is it true that you have written three revolutionary poems, plays, and other writings . Have written a number of poems, songs, and place in the , they cannst hitler be considered as revolutionary because i was for the overthrow of that government. Would you tell the committee how many times you have been the moscow . I was invited to moscow two times. How many of your writings have been based on lenin or marks . Marx . I dont think that is quite correct. I studied as a playwright. I had to study marxist ideals about history. I do not think that plays can be written also, history is widely influenced by the studies of marx. Since you have been in the u. S. , have you met with any officials of the soviet government . In hollywood yes, and hollywood i was invited to the soviet consulate with many other writers, artists, and actors. Did you collaborate with hans eisler . Collaborate, i wrote the song, he only wrote the music. [laughter] it comes from an adaptation of the novel, the mother. Woman song, a russian advises of the poor people. Again you must learn the lesson. You must be ready to take over. Excuse me, that is the wrong translation. May i speak with the translator. The correct translation is, you must take the lead. You dont recall anyone asking you to join the communist party . No, i dont recall anybody asking me. I would like to ask whether he wrote a song entitled forward, be not forgotten. Different from this thing. That is all the questions i have, mr. Chairman. Different from this thing. Immediately after testifying, brecht let america and settled in the german democratic republic never to come to america again. [applause] the black was continued to divide hollywood when october of 1950 it reached a boiling point and that was called the Screen Directors Guild. Here to tell us about it is Turner Classic Movies host ben mankiewicz. Im a huge fan of this guy. He needs no further introduction. Here is ben mankiewicz. [applause] thank you,let me first echoa real privilege to be here today, thanks very much. A quick promo. I think you guys of the interested. During november on Turner Classic Movies our spotlight is on the blacklist. We will feature films throughout the month of movies made by blacklisted artists, writers, directors, actors, and towards the end of the month we will have two nights of programming presented by the grant lee grant. You know lee. [applause] again, things are having me. The screenwriting credits of my grandfather included couple of classics. Pride of the yankees and citizen king. Like kane. Hermann had a way with words. One night he found his younger he was, bill mankiewicz, screening a movie at foxx later tonight. Hermann asked what the u. N. Andrew johnson have in common . Go on, said joe, knowing a place i was coming. You are being impeached, my boy. When he got the call, joe was president of the Screen Directors Guild. During his career, is directing credits include all about eve and cleopatra. Opposition came in the form of cecil b. Ionella siege demille. He was leading a group of conservative directors in seeking to have imposed a loyalty of. Ath. John houston said it was not a good time for the guild or anybody else in this country. October 22, 1951. 300 directors gathered for a westernstyle showdown. Except it was at the Beverly Hills hotel. And it was probably catering. [laughter] by kathy gill doors for jewish. Other than that, it was just like a western. [laughter] joe opened the proceedings. He said this meeting had become the most important in our history. It is entirely up to us whether you wish it were members this night was satisfaction and pride, or if it should be remembered as the night we lost the guild. What led to that night is extraordinary. Since joe opposed the mandatory loyalty oath, the open ballot on the measure requiring directors to say in an open ballot if they opposed the loyalty oath or not, demille try to remove joe from office by sending out recall ballots on anonymous stationery but the guilt as a return address. This is the ballot to recall jamaica with. Sign here, yes. There wasfor no. For no. No space for no. Sendings gang avoided them to 55 directors that they knew were loyal to joe. They made a mistake when demill e showed up in a sidecar. Farrow threw them out and then drove over to my grandfathers house to live for hermanns called the joe screening a movie at fox 11 00 p. M. From there joe with the heroes of the affair, george stevens, john huston, richard brooks, billy wilder, robert wise. 25 members signed a petition that demanded a full open meeting of the board. That is the meaning of sunday, october 22. That is the night we got a real sense of the sinister conspiratorial atmosphere. Pink demille directed a spotlight to shine down on joes baldhead. Subtle. Then he suggested the 25 directors who signed the petition to force the open meeting might not be loyal americans. Many, he said, for foreignborn. Laying,lle said fritz this is the first time im afraid because i have an accent. Demille was bood but undeterred. His accusations even double down pronouncing the names of immigrant jewish directors with an accent. Demille had lost the room. Finally a man joe had been counting on its with membership event in silent for five hours stood up. Eric is 10 issues,s hat and pipe, join a handkerchief he said, my name is jack ford. I admire you, but i dont like you. I dont like what you stand for tonight. Is said he helped found the guild to protect producers. Now it looks like theyre getting out of blacklist. And been called for demille the 15 members of the board to resign, then he turned to joe and said lets turn the guilt over to the pollock and go home. [laughter] added, lets go back and make movies. Thank you. [applause] another one of the leaders who took the knee was John Cromwell. He directed document bondage. Of human bondage. He was blacklisted even though he never joined the communist party. Cromwell,s son, jamie long one of hollywoods leading actors and activists, and one of the civil rights martyrs murdered in 1964. Thebe seen on screen in movie following kingdom, and i will give us a piece on larry parks who recently hit it big name was called the stand on march 21, 1951. [applause] jamie cromwell. Thank you. The spanish inquisition calls larry parks. You everything that i know about myself. I would prefer if you will allow me not to mention other peoples names. This present me with choice of either being in contempt of this committee are going to jail. Or forcing me to really crawl through the mud and be an informer. American. Ink this is it is more a kenwood happened under hitler. I think you not to force me to do this. Who are the members of the cell of the communist party that you were assigned from 1941 on up until you disassociated yourself in the party around 1945 . This is what i have been talking about. This is the thing that i am no longer fighting for myself because i will tell you frankly i am probably the most completely ruined man you have ever seen. For principle, i think. If america is involved in this particular case, this is what i have been talking about. I do not believe it benefits the committee to force me to do this. I do not believe it benefits this committee or its purposes to force me to do this. This is my honest feeling about it. I dont think this is fair play. I dont think it is in the spirit of real americanism as we know it. These are not people that are a danger to this country. Gentlemen, they are people that i knew. They are people like myself. I direct a witness to answer the question. I i do not refuse to answer the question that i feel the committee is doing dreadful things that i dont believe the merrick and people will look at kindly the American People will look at kindly. This is my opinion. I dont think they will consider this as honest, just, and in the spirit of fair play. Who is instion was, the commonest party cell you were assigned from 1941 to 1945 . Morris karnofsky, joe roston, lee cobb. What was that name . Cobb. These of the principal names i recall. Was james cagney a member at any time . Not to my knowledge. I dont recall ever attending a meeting with him. Was he a member of the communist party to your knowledge . I dont recall ever here he was. Edward g. Robinson . I dont recall ever attending a meeting with edward g. Robinson . I dont recall ever attending a meeting with aubrey bogart. Humphrey bogart. You take comfort in the fact that the people whose names have been mentioned have been subpoenaed. It will not be a result of anything you testified to. It is no comfort whatsoever. [applause] us a sectionl read of his father, John Cromwell. There are so many people in this room. Alan and lots of other people who suffer terribly because of this inquisition. My fathers testimony was he had nothing to say. I thought i would tell you a story about him. He came to hollywood at the beginning of sound because it did not have direct her second handle dialogue directors who can handle dialogue. He started to direct pictures. He was a fairly liberal democrat, a roosevelt democrat. He was in the hollywood democrats. When you begin president of the Screen Directors Guild he quit the organization. It moved slightly to the left and my father had a party at his house. Ever were members of the moscow art theatre. They were explaining to my father and the assembled that when a student graduated the conservatory, the acting conservatory, they were sent to the provinces and then they worked their way back in a got theo the provinces best of the young actors trained in moscow, and the actors got to hold their craft and develop the skills that they would need once they got the moscow. My father said, my god am starting to sound like an. My god, that is the way it should be done. What do we do in this country . We take the best and brightest out of yale and northwestern and we send them to new york or hollywood and use them up in one year and then they are gone. Manjew was at the party. It looks like he is, a snake. My father who had a house in oregon went to the mailbox and opened life magazine and it was a fullpage article on huac any sequential series of photos of him testifying. Was, the pictures it testifies before the House Unamerican Activities Committee. The biggest communist in all of hollywood is John Cromwell. So they called my father. My father was working at rko. He had signed a 1 Million Contract with george sherry, who owned the studio. Subsequently to the contract it was sold to howard hughes. My father went and testified on the same day that burrell brecht berthold testified. This is a message to my fathers agent and said there is a problem with John Cromwell. We just wanted to apologize. Sam said you will never get John Cromwell to apologize to any committee. Howard hughes wanted him out, but he could not fire him without violating the contract. In the contracted stated he is issued any picture the studio gave him, and i gave him a picture called i married a communist, a piece of crap. My father understanding quickly redoing said fine, i will shoot the picture but you cant shoot this script. It is horrible. Writer after writer came for months to fix the script, which they couldnt. They wouldve had to have paid him double. Howard hughes wrote a check, 1953, for 1 million. My father went to Beverly Hills, thought of building and moved to the east. Was in a way with henry fonda called for the return for which he earned a tony and that the rest of his life with my stepmother who knew lee and kazan and many of the people. They do these people really well. They had a wonderful, stunning life in the theater. My father swore he would never come back to this town and he never did until the end of his life. I actually regret that he did not get to do the pictures he had in him, but i do not regret that he never put himself through what this town puts so many others through and must never do that again. [applause] thank you so much, jamie. Thank you. Unlike writers and directors, actors could not act under a different name. They could not have a beard or a front because actors have their faces. That was all they had. Costar of the goldbergs tv series, he may have been suspected of being a marxist because he appeared with the marx brothers. Reds under the bed cold war hysteria contributed to the heart attacks of artists such as lee grants husband. John garfield and his body and ee,s lastr kevin l film was cry the 11 country. Below the country. He died in 1975. You mentioned it was suicide. It was joe mcknight a window. Jumping out a window. For three football statement was enough to derail her promising acting career in the socalled land of the free. Academy award nominated three times and won the best oscar for shampoo. Grant shares a reflection on huac, the blacklist and more. We present lee grant. [applause] hi. Thank you so much for having me. What can happen was i loved detective stories. Junket film. For which i was nominated best actress. Nominated for best actress. I did not win. It was 1952. Time, that time i heard the news about my nomination and Film Festival award i cannot work in film or television. I was blacklisted. I was blacklisted from 1952 when was 36. To 1964 when i i left to go into a play. Who became by a husband. And john berry directed it and start anin it. Blomberg was also starring in the play. He sat in the wings with me as we are ready to go on. What if they try to stop the play . Why would you Say Something like that . Once wrong . The House Unamerican Activities Committee wants you to testify. I did not know. I have a bad heart. I cant take it. Loving of this wonderful, suite, kind sweet, kind actor who was a legend. London whereent to he was in a play. Within a month of opening the play he had a heart attack and died. When i set up a memorial to joe to talk about him. Hotel. In a thousands were there. Everybody was showing up to show their support. The giants of the theater. When it was my turn i had never spoken in public before. I told the audience with joe had told me, which was that the committee had gotten in touch with him and asked him to testify again. He said he is a bad heart. He tried to tell them. And it killed him. And that was it. Two days later i want to actors equity. And after sitting in front of me said, i see that you made it. I said what you mean . The blacklist, and there it was. The reason was the things i had said at the memorial. My fortunes had changed. My life had been changed completely. I had an education. The people who were blacklisted were such extraordinary writers and actors, and i felt so privileged to be in the company and to learn from them what values are and what the fight for. Terrible thatnd , someone whod reminds me most of Joseph Mccarthy and the Mccarthy Committee is our very own president. [applause] roy cohn was the director and admonish her of joe mccarthy the same way he was a mentor and lawyer to president trump. Things to be very similar. Even their approach to their ience seems to be very [indiscernible] if theyre going to come at me, let them come. We shall see change again. [applause] a great the Committee Calls madelyn lee gilbert. A great friend and partner in crime is my grandmother, madelyn lee. Aussie in her husband are both blacklisted and testified, it was madelyns testimony that is the fire of an inspired activist. Here to read the part of metal and is her daughter, my mother, lisa gilford. [applause] you staydio here. Yes, would you like a microphone . Here. I want to thank ed for inviting us all. It is a privilege, thank you. I want to save my mother today would be 94 issue was alive. He would be here. She would still be fighting the good fight. She was hounded for five years to the army house american Activities Committee. We were on the lamb. We spent our summers on fire island where we do nothing they would come because they were shoes and we do not wear shoes. After five years they found us and they actually serve my mother and a fairly violent service where my mother ended up hitting scotty with my brother sam. He swung a baby at this server. Had hit hern his as he begins he became subversive at a young age. I am a red diaper baby. I want to say if you want to hear more of this and youre interested, my son and i and Richard Dreyfuss or making a documentary called calling all women. I advise you to support us. When you get these stories out. Morethanamovie. Com i want to introduce the person playing leonard. You dont know how he liked his name said. Dr. Spock. Ode, aread by stephen rh lawyer, writer, and past chair of the aclu of southern california. Well represented. Thank you. I request the pictures be taken and another chairmans prior instructions, and i repeat my request. It will be no pictures taken after the witness is sworn. That does not mean that request. To the tell me the training you have had . Im sorry. New york public schools. Have you attended any other schools . Do you have anything in mind . Is not asking questions just for fun. I direct you to answer the question. Excuse me, mr. Walter, i am not here for fun either. Take it taken away from my three children at considerable expense. I cant offhand recall i have been blacklisted for five years. These occasional roles i would be a will do get an occasional call when Vincent Hartnett were not able to reach these employers with their inclusive list. Gettingvery hard time any occasional engagement. Member of actors equity, diva confederation of radio and Television Artists . Yes, sir. I agree with the witnesses who do not think it is pertinent to this inquiry, but i am proud to be a member of those unions and make it quite clear that they have been subverted, dominated, and infiltrated by no one. In their own membership operates these unions in a democratic fashion, and all decisions are arrived at openly and democratically. This committee seems to be on a fishing expedition. You mean expedition . No i mean exhibition. I guess in who is putting on the exhibition. If you Pay Attention to me instead of carrying on with your lawyer, maybe you will hear the questions. I have a right to consult my lawyer and is not a continuing conversation. We are extending a privilege and you have no right. It is a privilege the committee extends even though we know what the results of such conferences will be. I dont understand that remark and i resent it. And im like an apology from you right now. Im quite serious, and you are a member of the bar as am i. I think i am entitled to an apology for your last remark. And you know very well what i mean. You bet i do. I want an apology. I think you protest too loud. You will get no apology. I would ask you this question. Did you participate in such activities . I dont want any assumption that my attorney or anyone can dictate my answers here today. They are dictated by my conscience and under the most severe pressure on the part of your subpoena server and an attempt to get me to deliver false testimony. I am making the charge that this committee coerces witnesses with pressure, threats, and bribery and blackmail exercised on witnesses to cooperate with the committee is of no interest to this committee that this is happening . I have to take it that way. Will you tell the committee whether or not there were persons in actors equity or the American Federation of television and radio artists who were members of the communist party . A communist label about communist groups has been stuck on anybody and everybody who organizes i guess the blacklist in our industry. On the basis of what i am saying today, i will be punished as cooperative witnesses will be rewarded. That is not a high purpose on the part of the Congressional Committee. Would you answer my question . I am trying to testify, but you dont seem to want them. I submit she has not answered the question and in my opinion she is guilty of contempt. I suggest we proceed to the next question. I object and declined to answer on the basis of the First Amendment. Dont acclimate to the question is asked. The witness is declining to the last question, i did not give her a chance to complete her last answer. Will you allow it to be stated for the record . I am declining on the basis of the First Amendment that you are prying into my personal affairs, believes and opinions, and on the basis of the fourth minute that this is an illegal search and seizure of my property and deprivation by due process of a love of the only things i have to sell in this industry. My talent and i could name. I also decline on the basis of the eighth amendment that this is cruel and unusual punishment, that you are inflicting without due process of law and on the basis that the fifth amendment that you may not impel me to be a witness against myself. This is like a game of tag for you try to be as candid as possible and three congressmen are standing there waiting to say you wager privilege. That is not fair. Let me ask you. Are you a member of the commonest party . Every november i go into a little booth and i marked a secret ballot and i price that highly as part of the american way of life. I believe that question relates strictly to that. Most people know from my public activities, and as you can see im a very talkative person and to state my opinions but not under compulsion into a nefarious purpose on the part of this committee. The bulging any political belief under compulsion is not a good pressuring as witness so they will not be employed a part of your congressional discretion . Want to ask you a question. Im asking you a question. You will run out of words. It is understood which he gives the answer to me she is relying on the protection afforded people by the first and fifth amendments. First, fourth, fifth and eighth amendments. You not only will you get out of order, you will be to help other people get out of work. I am not joan of arc. The words recant and confess are not exactly my dish. Let us proceed. How can you be looking for facts when you reward friendly witnesses and punishment from the witnesses . I am perfectly willing to answer all your questions about subversive and infiltration in the entertainment industry. And the answer is there is none. [applause] thank you. The witch unders which hunters nazi sympathizers kidnapped and beat him. Heer his defiant testimony, like many of his colleagues was blacklisted. Will win on to costar. During the blacklist he created to peggy canyon amphitheater for himself and others in his from movies to acting. The current artistic director is , and justin connolly, director of Human Rights Watch huac joins the chorus. [applause] is mr. Gear present . Which one is the hot seat . [laughter] how are you employed . I am unemployed at present. It interferes with spring planting. What was your last employment . I just finished a picture called the tall target. A theater for about 25 years, sir. I think i well enough known to all of them on the roles i have played. For you a member of the communist party . I stand on the grounds of the fifth amendment. Well, that might incriminate or degrade me should the word communist, and emotional, hysterical word of the day. It is like the word witch in salem. Is you entertain at any meeting to the communist party other than the matters ive already referred to . By stan on the grounds of the fifth amendment. The ground of the fifth amendment of ancient history . Yes. So much emphasis has been placed on a tent history. Are you a member of the communist party now . I refuse to answer on the same grounds. No, same grounds. When were you in russia . I went on a theatrical tour to see the moscow art festival of 1935. Where you a member of or affiliated with the american mobilization . There are about 400 or 500 organization listed as being here. I have to consult the book to find out. It is difficult to remember the names of them. At present time i play hospital benefits. I have played veterans hospitals. We go around every play and veterans hospitals. They might be listed in another six months is something altogether on border. Things change. Rapidly nowadays. Where you this affiliated with the veterans of the ever hamlet can forget . Abraham lincoln brigade . I refuse to answer. The communist Front Organization . I discussed it with one director perhaps and he asked me what i was anywhere and i told him i was a conservationist. That is my philosophy. Is your employer discuss . Never in connection with employment to the best of my knowledge. I would be willing to discuss it with him at any time. With this committee . No, sir. This is a peculiar atmosphere we are living in today. The citizen has to see clearly all the time how important it is to preserve individual rights. Do you consider yourself to be a patriotic citizen . I do indeed. I love america. I love it enough to make it better. In case of an Armed Conflict where the United States would be opposed to soviet russia would you be willing to fight on the side of United States . I would grow vegetables for victory in the farm bureau as i did before. He would be a wonderful idea if it but every man my age in the front line. You washington fellows on the other side. I think wars would be negotiated immediately. You have declined to answer on the ground it might incriminate you. How . It is something set up outside. It is the committee set up. Yourself for this committee have made these stipulations. It is something set up. To my mind created artificially. You think this committee is a persecuting committee . To my mind there is great similarities between the when people in our country have been persecuted by the normans. Do you believe the congress of the United States has the right to set up a committee such as this . To search out subversive activities in this country . Im an entertainer, a lot of lawyer. Not a lawyer. I dont know if it is right or not. I think you would be much more important to investigate inflation, and the high cost of living. That is my own opinion. We all have to appear in a turkey now and again. [laughter] if you are not a member of the commonest party and it never communist party, wooded incriminate you to say so . Its a perfectly legal party. I believe they are being persecuted now that the mormons, quakers, even radical republicans and lincolns day. In this day of hysteria we dont get to train and the lot you down in athens, georgia. Declined tont to answer that question to whether or not the attorney advised you . I think it would be advisable, im sorry. Thef you want to leave, cloud is on them. There are all sorts of clouds. [applause] Howard Rodman, are you in the audience . He will speak on his father and Walter Bernstein who was blacklisted in 1950. Hours, take it away. [applause] old and one97 years of the wisest people i know. Decadeblacklisted for a and a half where he cannot write anything under his own name. In order to make a living he front, somer of the who were delightfully cooperative and his efforts to write under another name. Some of whom lets talk about that. , walter writes about his experience with a particular front named howard. Walter, a kind and generous man, did not use the last name of his front, but i will. It is Howard Rodman senior, my dad. Is experiencesher writing it in my fathers name. He was a talented writer named howard who making any for himself running television drama. He was writing plays in keeping up with the scientific literature. He is undecided whether or not to get the nobel prize for literature or physics. He was serious about this. Even think about it speculatively, weighing comparative advantages. He had no scientific training in physics, that felt that was no hindrance. It might even be an asset. He had a maniacs insurance, although he seen reasonably sane. He had a generous heart. He loaned me his name for a danger show in a fruitless comedy for a half hour series might exagent was producing. Pirate them both to quickly. I wrote them both too quickly. We walked in central park for a while. He said my shows were not very good. I could only agree. I apologized and said i hope it did not hurt his reputation. He was not worried about his reputation. I am worried about you, he said. He was warned about my psyche. Delete all this was doing the harm. Unconsciously i had to write up to howards standards. I also acted unconsciously to prove the point. Tothought he did not want hurt me any further by having to write badly. Maybe i will write better next time, i suggested. He did not think so. The hurdle was too great. He should have realized what would happen. I was not Eugene Oneill or Arthur Miller, each of whom mike about to howards standard. But it will be your reputation hurt, it is your name of the script, not mine. Business to them or not good enough. They would take knowing his liberal politics that he knew what he was doing, that he lead to say to a blacklisted writer. His reputation would improve the took risks. By not fronting for me he was making a sacrifice. [laughter] he advised me to find the front, a level or below. That way i would be unencumbered by the comparison to write as best i could. Give his kind about all of this, trying not to hurt my feelings. I think in for what he had done well thinking seriously about burying an axe in his head. Howard was sincere in his hatred of the blacklist. One time he needed to do research for a project that entailed a knowledge of manual labor, a blacklisted actor friend was working as a ditch digger in westchester and got howard a temporary job. They found themselves deified mansion every prominent tv producer. He began yelling at the mans house. For livingthe owner like this fall blacklisted writers like himself were reduced to digging ditches. It took a while for his friend the calm howard down to the poverty would except he was not in fact lack listed blacklisted. Later he became a successful tv and movie writer, although the nobel prize continued to elude him. [applause] i liked interviews kenneth levi who has a few words to say. Robert lee was a screenwriter. He was the life of the party in real life and regarding the commonest party as well. The story of the schlemiel he walked into a room, where bobby walked into a room everybody smiled. Everyone was glad to see him. Cpilarly, when the hollywood music project done, they asked him to head it up because he was given with everyone in the contentious group could stand. Cowrote some of thepete smiths, Robert Bentley shorts, evident and costello need Frankenstein Abbott and costello meet frankenstein. He was about 22. He refused to testify and was blacklisted. He asked to read a statement that was refused. Im introducing his granddaughter, tonya fairfield. [applause] statement of robert lees filed for the record. I believe in america was made in writing his profession can completely disassociate himself from people. He writes about them, he writes for them. They are both his inspiration and his audience. Their Political Freedom guarantees the necessary tools of his trade. Freedom of thought and expression. I emphasize this relationship because it explains why i believe a writer must function as a citizen. In my career as a writer i have worked in the Motion Picture industry for the past 17 years. Starting when i was old enough to vote. I attended grammar in high school in San Francisco i was born. My parents were also native san franciscans. I moved within the los angeles. The depression and did my College Career at ucla before i can complete my freshman year. After a short experience as an extra and did player, i started as a screenwriter at metrogoldwynmayer. Mostly robert eventually and pete smith comedies. Two of these one Academy Awards. Since then i received writing credit on some 15 feature films, starring such comedians as clotted colbert and fred mcmurray, abbott and costello. I certainly dont think i havent summoned to washington because of these comedies. Inelieve i am here because the 17 years i worked as a writer i functioned as a citizen. I firmly supported the election of franklin roosevelt. I joined with the other writers and artists and the campaigning for him. Being concerned with the rise of fascism in italy, spain and germany, i and others protested the dictatorships. During the war i worked to better our relations with our allies. I did several scripts. I went to washington and helped her technical films about conversion that was requested by general summerfield. And not only played in theaters but in shops and more plants. I was given accommodation by the War Department and more Activities Committee. Since that time, since the death of president roosevelt i have felt a growing concern that many others that are subsequent Foreign Policy has not been successful in achieving the piece the world fought so hard to attain. I have a concern for the administrations getup program on one hand, and the fears of my Young Children who tell me about the atom bomb drills they have been practicing in school. And concern for the loyalty oath, thought control, and endless investigations. We must believe that those who were our allies are now our enemies. And those who are our enemies are not our friends. Because of my concern and because i am a writer who has functioned as a citizen, this committee demands and to conform to their dictate or be forced into silence. It is my belief that causes me to be summoned here. It is because of the people i may never be shared these beliefs, people who the committee wishes me to expose as subversive that i have been summoned. I am asked to purge my friends and conscious under threat of having my 17 years of work and devotion my craft ended. When i first decided to make writing my career i did so because of what i felt. I have learned more about people and about writers and the tradition of writing since then. I know i cannot write that war is preferable to peace, or bigotry and conformity are virtues. One race or shows a group is superior to any others and can dictate how others should live or think. No man of integrity can successfully write what he does not believe, in a writer is a true american can force himself to betray his citizenship and his friends, already kind of material that will be forced upon the American People in this committee has its way. [applause] wow. I second that. Uber isdreyfuss, your here. Grab your luggage for my car and get your uber. If you drive a white seleka, your lights are on. Rote andicho w produced salt of the earth. Tonight in particular we are thinking of paul. I was joking. Tonight in particular we are thinking of paul. Here to read another statement huac did not want to hear is his son, bill jericho. [applause] by father was an incurable optimist. See if you can detect that in this gloomy exit. Excert. The miracle of being able to think freely, speak freely, right feeling no more. Do s and you lose your jobo. Do so and you are smeared as subversive. Do so and you go to jail. The miracle has become a barrage. Look around today and you see americans afraid open their vows, or doing so only to perjure themselves. Only to inform on their friends in the land of the free and home of the brave. Why . Because we are threatened by communism we are told. To protect our liberties we must give up our liberties. To reserve morality, must abandon morality. To prevent war, they must prepare for war. To stop aggression we must embark on aggression. What fantastic nonsense. What is communism . Are we allowed to discuss it . Is it a militant form of socialism . Doesnt require war by its nature . Is at the opposite of freedom . Are we allowed to debate it . What is capitalism . Was at once progressive . Is it now decadent . Does it need a war economy to survive . Are we allowed to say so . No. It is not our loyalty to our country that is just, a la loyalty to a particular economic system. And that is the biggest lie of all. That capital and democracy are somehow the same thing. [applause] unamerican to stand for social change. I am proud of my beliefs. I am proud of my affiliations. If i willdamned disclose them to my enemies to be used against my friends. [applause] thank you. A barsman . There she is. She is one of our black the survivors and coinitiator of tonights historic remembrance. Norma lived in exile for decades with ben and their family. Eventually she wrote the red and the black list. Now she will say a few words. [applause] norma greetings, everybody. I am speaking for two blacklisted screenwriters. 97, andnorma barzman, my husband ben barzman. Many wonderful movies. He died in 1989. This is not going to be sad, what im about to tell you. This is a jolly story. Day in 1949,hot ben came home early from ngm where he was working with lana turner. He joined me on the front lawn of our home to wait for our threeyearold daughter and our twoyearold son to return from the beach. All at once a beautiful girl in a very beautiful car turned into our driveway. I got out quickly, mumbled, felt i ought to tell you that the sheriffs car is parked at ill andtom of your h hes asking everyone if they going to your house. I thought you ought to know. I thanked her and held up my hand. My name is normal, i said. She shook my hand. So is mine, she said. Monellis way to the and left. Two years later we saw her photo on the advertisement of a film. She was of course marilyn monroe. After she left, the phone rang. A director who lived with his family up the hill from us said they are serving subpoenas today. Why do we change houses . By we Exchange Houses . Ok, said my husband. They had a pool. [applause] the next day, when two fbi agents came to sunset plaza drive with a subpoena for then with asus bena with a subpoena for ben, he said i am not ben barzman. When the two fbi guys game for us with a subpoena for bernie, he said i am not him. [laughter] clearly the time had come to leave. Leather iy my convinced my mother to come with us to france and helped her pack. Can you hear me . York, thechief to new algonquin overnight, mother stayed with the two children while ben and i saw death of a salesman with lee called, who later denounced us. The next day, the queen mary to london. Film, and he went back to this eddie went back to the states to jail and when he got out he named us. Ben wrote the screenplay and he never got paid. Who was in london because he was blacklisted, starred in it. It was very good. We got a call from the united ben from england to his agent. He said do not come back. We went on to france. For five years i wrote a lot of american tv with a pseudonym and been and ben began to work at european pictures. My mother died at the American Hospital in paris. When i came out of my room i saw my good friends director john ,arry, also a blacklisted exile sitting on the floor of the corridor of the American Hospital in paris. I said jack, you hardly knew my mother. Sobs, jackrs and barry said, im crying for all of us. 1951, the u. S. Embassy took my passport. I cannot go anywhere. I have the children with me. Ben was born in canada, became a u. S. Citizen. The u. S. State department away his american citizenship. He did not get his canadian back automatically. Not at all. A most wonderful thing for the french. Was ought stateless [laughter] gave him papers that showed he was stateless and could travel everywhere with no passport. [laughter] i told you this was a jolly story. I did not write. I did not travel. I did not anything. Ive bought and furnished two beautiful houses with beautiful antiques and encouraged seven beautiful children. 1958, by act of the u. S. They gave met, back my passport and gave ben back his citizenship. After, the irs wrote to ben asking for back taxes for the years from 1951 to 1958 when he was not a citizen. [laughter] f wordeplied with the [applause]. I wrote an original screenplay, finishing school which was made in rome. Joe directed a film in italy which ben wrote. Paul came to italy to be nice because we were all blacklisted. Main were were made in italy and my sisters italian husband reported their doings to the American Embassy in rome. It toad to run for england. This it wasu my brotherinlaw who did it. 1968 brought me back to life. Which aa play about it critic said was too american for the french and too french for the americans. We returned to the United States in 1978 after 28 years abroad. Hollywood was very different. Everybody was gone. I went back to newspaper writing, which i had done in the beginning. I had a column in the herald examiner. Ben and i began to write a number of scripts together that were never made. One was finally going to be made, it had just started casting in england when joe died and then ben died. After ben was dead, i palled around with. One night at dinner, he suddenly got very angry at me. For telling funny stories about it all. He said, why the hell dont you write it . So i did. I wrote the red and the black list. Why am i telling you all this . Because writers live in the world. What we write is influenced by what is happening in the world. What is happening in the world is influenced by what we write. Dore is a great deal we can and must do to make a better world, especially now. [applause] that is all. All right . Thank you, thank you so much. Do not just stand there, do something. [applause] that was beautiful. Lume, are you in the house . Blue is about hollywood movies. Where dissidents silenced by the inquisition a hollywood . A french filmmaker to present a clip from his new documentary. Any time, guys. We are pleased to show you a clip from the movie we made which is called red and blue which is talking about the representation of the Russian Revolution of 1917 and hollywood movies. It is from french tv originally, but you have an english version. Show talk about the black list which is a small part about the movie. We are currently shooting a new documentary about the difficult relationship between donald trump and hollywood. [laughter] difficult relationship. If you are interested to participate in the movie and tv, feel freech to go and we would be glad to see you. In france we have just resume , and inracy, liberty forywood you have one word erty, the mock crissy liberty, democracy, this word is cinema. Merci. Merci. Lets take a look at this clip. [video clip] the cold war hysteria in the movies is an interesting thing because there were a number of movies that came out in the 1950s that were just made fun of in a film called hail, caesar with george clooney. On the nose, anticommunist movies like i married a communist or stuff like that, they were not successful. People do not see these overtly anticommunist films. What was successful were those movies such as the invasion of the body snatchers that took the anticommunist hysteria and put it within the scifi genre or other movie genres. Snatchers, the pod people repeat slogans that sound as if they are straight out of stalinist handbooks. Spartacus. I am spartacus. I am spartacus. Are their revolutionary messages in movies such as spartacus and planet of the apes . Absolutely, yes. Who wrote them . By aacus was written member of the communist party, usa. The screenplay for spartacus was written by a member of the communist party, Dalton Trumbo. Human solidarity, we are going to stick together. It is more than that. Thehat ye and the at end, it is the whole thing of the hollywood blacklist. Will you name names. We want to get the real spartacus and tony curtis and all the other gladiators and in whatonaries stand up must have been the dream of Dalton Trumbo at the time and trumbo am dalton actually they say i am spartacus but you can imagine hollywood loves to make movies about failed revolutions. Even back in the 1930s you have a number of films about the mexican revolution, you have in a movie about a failed revolution and spartacus a failed revolution. The lesson is revolutions will fail. Fire. Planet of the apes Michael Wilson was one of the great screenwriters of the hollywood reds. He cowrote oscarwinning films bridge on the river quiet, lawrence of arabia. He cannot use his name. In planet of the apes, by that time in the late 60s, he was able to use his name. There is a scene in there that is a court and it is all dialogue taken from the hollywood blacklist. You can almost hear them saying are you now or have you ever been an ape . Party . R of the ape they deliberately put their politics into different genres. You could see that when they had the chance, they would express their politics, but often in creative and filmic ways. [applause] how very eisenstein, that ending. We are going to take a break. It is the intermission already. I bet all of you are excited to get out there. Before we do that, we want to have our opera singer come out an erform an autopilot a capalla song. Artistaul would say an must elect to fight for freedom or slavery. Ive made my choice. I have no alternative. There is an old man called mississippi. That is an old man i do not like to be. Care if the world has trouble . If the land isre not free . That old man, river. Dontt know something but say nothing. He keepseeps rolling, on rolling along. Potatoes, het and thatnt Cotton Planting is soon forgotten. Just keepser, he rolling along. Me we sweat and strain, wracked with pain. Lift that barge. I keep laughing instead of crying. Fighting until i am dying. River, he just keeps. Ing along [applause] i dreamed i saw george last night as live as you and me. Said ike, you are 10 years dead. I never died said he. He. Ver died, says bless you. [applause] wow, that was amazing. Lets have a 10 minute intermission. You that copies of the documentary red and blue are Still Available in the lobby for sale. Come back. Thank you so much for sticking with it. I am sure that the hearings were more painful than this. You consider yourselves lucky that this is the extent of it. I want to see if i can get bobby miller to come up here and read a special letter that his father wrote to the committee that has never before been published or heard. That is going to be that is going to be something fantastic. Is bobby in the house . It thinned out a bit. They got blacklisted. Hurting. Is come on everybody, do not hurry, but hurry. Where are you, where is your intro . All right, here is the intro. Are we getting close . Take your time. We do not eat anybody rushing we do not need anybody rushing. I dont know if anyone knows what a remarkable person our Living Legend here is, marcia. We gave her a happy birthday and it was for a quick. What she has done in her life is amazing and what she has done toce i encourage you all watch this documentary or just search out more information on our Living Legend. Yes . Oh my goodness. Pr whores, it is believed that a major reason Arthur Miller was summoned in 1956 is they wanted to meet his wife, marilyn monroe. Our american is shakespeare who wrote classics such as death of a salesman. Here to read a letter his father wrote to the committee is his son, bobby miller. Are you ready, bobby . [applause] lights condemn the now you can dim the lights. This is a letter that dad wrote to the honorable francis e. Walter, chairman of the House Committee on unamerican activities. Walter, i am informed by my attorneys that at times in the past, the House Committee on unamerican activities has refrained from citing witnesses for contempt under circumstances not different from those obtained in my hearing. I would therefore like to present your committee certain considerations which have moved me to decline the naming of those people i recall having been present at the meetings of the communist writers i attended in 1947. I write here in the same spirit with which i entered the hearing room. I believed then, and i believe own candor in speaking with my past associations is my best defense because i know myself to be a person devoted to Democratic Institutions and opposed to totalitarianism. The record of my work and my wife and my life, looked at as a whole the meetings in page excuset me. Folks. Me, stand as proof of this. For 20 years, ive spent the better part of every day forming and testing my vision of man and society. My sense of what is going on in the world around me. Plays that i write have no force if not the force of these plays speak my deepest feelings and are the most complete expressions of my viewpoint towards every kind of social manifestation an institution. In the profound sense, these plays are myself, for good or for ill. I have not the slightest doubt they are both humane and democratic works, which could not have been written accepted by one devoted to the democratic hope for man and that concept of his nature. By virtue of my willingness or unwillingness to answer a single question about the identity of certain other writers and by the sudden standard my whole character are to be judged, it means to me that the labor of means to me that the labor of revelation lasting over 20 years is brought down to nothing a single moment. The daily struggle ive wage to speak clearly in the most public of public faces is altogether mocked. Had i hidden my opinions and my views, my apprehensions for my fellow man and written trivia, the calmer commerce of the stage, i should perhaps feel different. Sold my security, as i could have done 100 times. Grandly ive gladly risk everything for the freedom the stage presents. Now, to prove my fidelity to feed him, to prove my fidelity to freedom would be a travesty of my labor itself. If i must be judged, let me be judged by what my lit by what my native impulses led me to do. , ruth i have done evil cannot mitigate that evil. The refusal to name cannot make that refusal worse than it was. Nor can i believe such a willingness betokens or unwillingness to market disrespect for contempt. Now,have done, so i do resting my case not upon protections of the law, but on the spontaneous revelations in my works and on the record of my life. I cannot confess another man, and i asked the committee to to consider where true respect lies in such a case and where contempt. It is no news to the world that their words of agreement and ascent, and conscientious reservations which magnify dignity of the state. Respectfully yours, Arthur Miller. [applause] the Committee Calls lillian hellman. Ofellen ratner is the sister she is one of fox newss few lefty pundits. Hellmanseads lillian testimony. [applause] i am also build jericho i cousin,bill jerichos so there is a connection. Mr. Wood, i am under subpoena to appear before your committee on may 21, 1952. I am most willing to answer all questions about myself. I have nothing to hide. There is nothing in my life of which i am ashamed. Under the fifth amendment, ive a constitutional privilege to declined to answer any questions about my political opinions, activities, associations, on the grounds of selfincrimination. I do not wish to claim this privilege. I am ready and willing to testify before the representatives of our government as to my own opinions and my own actions, regardless of any risks or consequences to myself. If idvised by counsel that answer the committees questions, i must also answer questions about other people and that if i refuse to do so, i can be cited for contempt. My counsel tells me that if i answer questions about myself, i will have waived my rights under the fifth amendment and can be forced legally to answer questions about others. This is difficult for a layman to understand. There is one principle i do understand i am not willing, now or in the future, to bring troubles who in my past association with them were completely innocent of any talk or action that was disloyal or subversive. I do not like subversion or disloyalty in any form and if i had ever seen any i would have considered it my duty to have reported it to the proper authority. To hurt innocent people who i knew many years ago in order to save myself to me is in human and in decent and dishonorable. I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fill this years fashion. [applause] though i came to the conclusion that i was not a political person and could have no comfortable place in any political group, i was raised in an oldfashioned american tradition. There were certain homely things that were taught to me. Try and tell the truth. Not to bear false witness. Not to harm my neighbor. To be loyal to my country, and so on. Ideals ofd these christian honor and did as well with them as i knew how. You willbelief that agree with these simple rules of human decency and will not expect me to violate the Good American tradition from which they sprang. I would, therefore, like to, before you and speak of myself. Theprepared to waive privilege against selfincrimination and to tell you everything you wish to know about my views or actions, if your committee will agree to refrain from asking me to name other people. If the committee is unwilling to give me this assurance, i will be forced to plead the privilege of the fifth amendment at the hearing. A reply to this letter would be greatly appreciated. Sincerely, lillian ellman. [applause] there was a question i think youre supposed to ask . No . Ok. [applause] now for one of tonights highlights, a Family Reunion that prove sisterhood is powerful. Lionel appeared on stage, radio, the 1936 mr. Ing deeds goes to town. Due to his distinctive voice and tough guy demeanor, he played heavies in such movies as the and 1971s the gang that cannot shoot straight with robert de niro. Belong to the hollywood antifascist leak and lays money for the spanish loyalists. Joke, he whistled the internationality while waiting for an elevator. , stander had time to marry six wives and had as many dollar and had as many daughters. For the first time ever, five of lionels daughters have been brought together. Stander testimony was described as fierce. To do justice to their fathers words, it will take no less than five readers, his defiant daughters, to read them. Please give a round of subplot please give around of simple please give a round of applause to jennifer stander, joy, a social and michaelvist, carter, a retired attorney and Miami Police Sergeant living in florida. The five daughters will now jointly read lionel standers testimony. [applause] we have edited down excerpts from this testimony. There was a lot of gavel pounding and arguing and interrupting. Very to the American People to know about everything that was happening here. Just to have my name appear in association with this committee, like the spanish inquisition, you may not be burned but you cannot help coming away a little singed. I am more than willing to cooperate. I do not know about the overthrow of the government. This committee has been investigating 15 years and is not found one act of violence. I know some subversion and i can help the committee if it is really interested. I know of a group of fanatics who are desperately trying to undermine the constitution of the United States by depriving artists and others of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness without due process of law. [applause] if youre interested in that, i would like to tell you all about it. I can tell names and i can cite instances and i am one of the first victims of it. That, are interested in and also a group of america ,irst errs and antisemites people who rate everybody, including negroes, minority groups, and, most likely, themselves. Are engaged in the conspiracy outside all the legal processes that undermine our fundamental american concepts upon which our entire system of jurisprudence exists. [applause] i just want to thank you all for the honor of being here. Imitate mye to fathers voice but the first time i did that my mother took me to the doctor thinking i had a sore throat. I will have to do it in my own voice. You said you would like me to cooperate with you in your attempt to honor subversive activity. I know of such subversive activities. I began to tell you about them and i am shocked by your cutting me off. Be interestedm to in the sort of subversive activities on know about in the sort of subversive activities i know about. I am not a dupe or a dope or a schmo. Did, i wasi absolutely conscious of what i was doing and im not ashamed of everything i said in public or private. I am very proud of my war record, my private record as a citizen, and my Public Record as an entertainer. Record to showe i am not charged with being a member of the communist party. I am not charged with lying under oath because i have made continuous oats to various governmental agency. You are not charging me with being a communist, right . I just want that clear. I have not been accused of anything. I want that very straight. Headlines,spaper people get peculiar attitudes. Appearance, the mere fact in my case that i was subpoenaed was tantamount to being blacklisted because people say what is an actor doing and some of the american the Unamerican Activities Committee . I want to state, i was not trying to be smart or funny. I had never been more deadly serious in my life. If anything i said seemed humorous or funny, i assure you it was purely coincidental and does not mirror what i deeply feel. , and the career respect of my fellow artists, and the American People, is at stake. I am not trying to be funny or put on a show. If i did, i would have the lights on. [applause] i swore under oath before this committee in 1940 and i was not a member of the communist party. I also swore in 1940 before the as angeles grand journey los angeles grand jury, its District Attorney, and i forced my way in there. I was a voluntary witness. Believe t attorney released a statement to the press absolving me of any participation and the grand jury cleared me of the cop of the charges. I have already been cleared by the District Attorney and the grand jury that i was a fine, patriotic, american citizen. I have sworn under oath, and if any of these charges are true, why havent i been indicted . To be responsible for a stable of informers, stool pigeons and psychopaths and export of all heretics who come in here beating their chests and say i am awfully sorry, i did not know what i was doing, please, i want absolution. Get me back into pictures. They will do anything. They will name anybody and they will go to any extent necessary to get back into pictures. Therefore, i declined to answer because it clearly is not relevant to the purpose of this committee and it theates my right under first and fifth amendment of the constitution of the United States. Incidentally, do not give me the routine about hiding. I find the only people who hide behind immunity are the witnesses. The stool pigeons. My estimation of this committee is that this committee abrogates judicial and punitive powers which it does not possess. [applause] my record is absolutely clear. How many times do i have to swear, under oath, before governmental agencies, and how many times do you have to use my name to get headlines . I have already sworn under oath that i am not now a member of the communist party. 1940 i was never a member of the communist party and never will be. I would have to be pretty stupid and knowe that in 1940 the fbi automatically gets copies of every complaint that i joined the communist party later , i would have to be a complete idiot. This is a disgraceful experience to go through, to be brought here because of these andnuations and accusations something you will not dare charge me with. This Committee Says i am not charged with anything, yet you are trying to trick me into depriving me of my constitutional right. You know i swore under oath. If there was any real evidence to refute my sworn testimony, i would be indicted. I would not be brought here before this committee. Years sincears, two i have requested an appearance, during which this fanatic group of subversives have blacklisted artists and are attempting to impose censorship on the free love. R that we all instrumental in aiding them. [applause] i have a freedom of belief. U. S. Congressman oppose the constitution and you know that federal judges have said that whenever a Congressional Committee presses upon areas ,rom which it is forbidden to that it is the duty of the citizens to avail themselves of this privilege. I declined, under the First Amendment, which entitles me to freedom of belief, under the fifth amendment, which states i will not be forced to testify against myself, and also in which there is no inference of guilt. It is designed to protect the innocent. Under the ninth amendment, which gives me other rights. For instance, the right to get up in the union hall, which i did, and introduce a resolution condemning this Congressional Committee for its abuse of power in attempting to impose censorship upon the american theater. To answer under my constitutional right, which i am proud of. I resent the inference that anyone who uses it, which our forefathers fought for, is guilty of anything. You know this is an ancient right of the American People. Spain,nately, in feudal my ancestor did not have the protection of this. They did not have the protection of the United States constitution and they were religious refugees. I have done a Little Research on this since you have called me. The First Experience of it was and im not being sacrilegious was when jesus christ was asked by pontius pilate, these judges have a lot of witnesses against you, and he said nothing. By inference and accusation you accuse me because you know this committee cannot charge me with anything. You have no judicial power. Your purpose is investigative. I cannot see how any of these questions can aid the committee in its legal purpose, which is to recommend legislation. [applause] the committee has to wrap tonight at 11 30 and we have a lot to get through. Im going to bake anyone who is coming up here to be brief and cut your testimony and half so that we can get to everybody tonight. Their Young Children at home waiting to be fed. I implore you. With that, i introduced margo pepper who will hopefully say a few words and then introduce a lovely surprise who will also say a few words. I am hoping that margo can keep it brief. That is a tall order for me to keep it brief. I will try. Beganacklist supposedly to disintegrate on january 20, 1960, with director Otto Premingers announcement that Dalton Trumbo would receive full credit for the script for his film exodus. In reality, for others, like my father, george pepper, the blacklist is still in place. My father produced four movies in the 1950s. Two were directed by spanish filmmakers. Name does. , georges not appear on a single film. , whereco and france there was no blacklist, my fathers films are listed correctly. Reviewravers, and a 2013 wasated that my father film a most remarkable film, although it is almost although it is often omitted from discussions of his work and remains among his most neglected films. It is a film which condemns racial prejudice and was ahead of his time. It was particularly ill received in america, where the narrowminded bigotry of prominent critics consigned it to immediate oblivion. The director of cured the director refer to my father as his favorite producer and his close friend in his memoir. Of the four films my father produced had his credits restored by the Writers Guild of america when the wga and three other guilds publicly apologized for their role in the blacklist in 1997, an effort spearheaded by paul jericho. My repeated attempts to restore my fathers name have been by the the most in Motion Picture association of america, the producers guild, imdb, and wikipedia. The nom de plume he used to make a living after he was blacklisted, a violin prodigy beginning at age four, george pepper made headlines but by 24 he developed repetitive strain injury which ended his violin career. He turned to politics, and under his leadership as executive secretary, the organization became the major outpost of progressivism west of the hudson liver west of the hudson river. George fled to mexico city with his wife. Community of resistance at one time or ,nother included Dalton Trumbo the list goes on. Parents ill my while in exile my parents mail was red. Wereds sam novick and max legally kidnapped by the fbi. In mexico, my father met the director. George introduced his friend and screenwriter hugo butler and under the guidance of his company he made the adventures of robinson crusoe. Online andou can go see the dates and translations that i cut out. Never brought the return portion of his tickets from mexico. Scattered in the park i played in across the street from our apartment when i was seven. As part of their retrospective film culture in los angeles, the academy of Motion Pictures arts and sciences has restored the little giants for a showing november 18 at 2 00. [applause] time, we willst announce my fathers true name. [applause] it still does not restore his name officially, that is up to the producers guild, which does not have a union. Tonight, it will shine a spotlight on george 70pers position on that year old blacklist. That blacklist itself will truly be over when corporate radio, television, books, hollywood , ases, and sports teams reflected by Colin Kaepernick thatcensoring voices reflect the politics and economic interests of our multiracial, 99 and went all blacklisted victims get hired, published, or their names restored on their work, including my father, george pepper. All right. Thank you. Pepper has published articles since age seven. Fluent in spanish, the eighthgrader plays horn in the marriott she banned plays horn in a marriott she banned. Here rockdale discusses his grandfather, george pepper. Rafael discusses his grandfather, george pepper. Im the brand son of george pepper. Today happens to be the 70th anniversary of the beginning of the resistance to the blacklist, the day people refuse to stitch out their friends. I was born on this day 13 years ago and like my grandparents i have never snatched, i have d, even if it meant i would get in trouble myself. He was blacklisted, so he stayed there. Just like my age today, the blacklist lasted 13 years until Otto Preminger agreed that Dalton Trumbo should put his. Ame on the movie exodus my grandfather still does not have his name on his movies. The first time, i saw a movie he produced called the little giants. It was about a poor Little League Baseball Team from mexico without resources. They came to the u. S. To play baseball in the world series. All odds were against them and they still managed to win the championship. The reason george chose to make the film was because the little giants were like the resistance to the blacklist. Although there were many obstacles such as the government being against the resistance, they still succeeded and ended the blacklist. Like the little giants, they kept trying and all their hard work paid off. I was frustrated because the movie is in spanish, and although i speak it, because of the sound quality i could barely understand it. I was glad to hear that the academy of Motion Pictures has made a new version. I was proud because my grandfather produced this and other movies because it is amazing to see a film he produced with 370,000 views on youtube and another with 676,000 views on youtube. , heuse he was blacklisted had to put another name on his films. All of those people have watched his movies without knowing he produced them. This is unfair. He put all his work into his movies and cannot get his name on them. If it was not for the blacklist and my grandfather having to move to mexico, more people could have watched the movie and it could have been more popular. Would beandfather recognized for what he did, just like anyone else. He deserves his real name on his movies. Just because he was in favor of peace and free speech, he should not have been blacklisted and forced to move to another country. He should protect these movies, especially with trump in office, trying to take away these rights. [applause] right on. This is not a political event, remember . Lets give credit where credit is due. Anytime you see a george pepper want you tod, i make sure you put in the comments the correct producer. Meme thate that a goes forward. Laura reads her aunts listing of the causes she was reportedly involved in. Very pleased to be here. My great aunt minerva was a radio actress who was the star of the fred allen radio show and if you are around in the 1940s and listen to the radio, you would have known her. She was listed in red channels, which curtailed her career. She left the country for england and then france, avoiding subpoena. She was the new york president of what was then after a which was then afta, which is now aftra. Mrs. On famous as the fred allen show. Like, yousay things are expecting maybe the emperor . These things were her taglines. In those days we had a different kind of consciousness. That was funny. She was listed as an actress in radio and her activities were reported as American Youth for democracy that is terrible. National sponsor, artist front to win the war, also pretty bad. Stage for action, a member of the advisory council. Excuse me. Lincoln of the abraham brigade antifascists. Civil rights congress, the list goes on. National council for the arts and sciences and as a member of that group, a signer of an open letter denouncing the Motion Picture producers for their capitulation to the discredited House Unamerican Activities Committee. Thank you, sir. , you weree end expecting maybe see so b. Sh emile. That is my aunt minnie. Pete seeger was a lifelong progressive. He is not here tonight. But here to read his testimony is the president of the Muslim Affairs council. Hollywood is not only notorious for blacklisting, but typecasting. Here playing against type is hector pellagra portraying ongressman gordon h. Rher. Essman gordon su what is your profession . As a main profession is folk singer. 42. Nt in july 2 upon your return from the service, you continued in your profession . I continued singing and i expect i always will. I have before me a photo the cover has sagerdvertisement pete p seeger and his guitar. Sir, i refuse to answer that question. Whether that was from the new or the vegetarian journal. E are veryes improper questions for any american to be asked, especially under such compulsion as this. I feel in my whole life ive have never done anything of any can speedily torino conspiratorial nature and i resent the implications of being called before this committee opinionsn some ways my may be different from yours that i am any less of an american than anybody else. I love my country very deeply, sir. Weddle you make a little contribution towards preserving its institutions . Is afeel my whole life contribution. This is why i would like to tell you about it. I dont want to hear about it. I direct you to answer the question. I have given my answers. Relying on the fifth amendment, are you . While i do not want to the i feel it is improper for this committee to ask such questions. I feel it is immoral to ask any american this kind of question. I assume you have read the aboutony ofmr. Kazan having actors and entertainers for the benefit of the communist front and the communist party. I want to know whether you are engaged in the service of becoming this party. Have some for americans of every political persuasion, and i am proud i have never refused to sing for an audience no matter what religion, color of their skin, or situation of life. I have sung in hobo jungles and i have sung for the rockefellers, and i am proud i have never refused to sing for anybody. That is the only answer i can give along that line. I visit you with a photograph taken on the made a parade that ofws the front rank individuals, and one is in a uniform with a military captain in cigna carrying a placard. Is that photograph of you . Christ, when jesus asked by pontius pilate, are you the king of the jews . I say, let someone else into that. We are not accepting the answers you gave. That is your prerogative. Do you understand you are standing in contempt of the committee . I hate to waste the committee felt time. My answer is the same. I love my country very dearly and i greatly resent this implication that because some of the places i have sung and some of the people i have known and some of my opinions, whether they are religious or , are making me any less of an american. [applause] i just want to say as an american muslim, i am very live on the shoulders of giants. Thank you for the opportunity. [applause] as we have seen, women played a key role in resisting you act huac. She was involved in the teaching and mentoring of youngwriters young writers generation of a young africanamerican tv writ ers. Her grandmother fell statement is sarah star leavitt. [applause] there is no such thing as an almost freedom. If you modify freedom of expression and conscience of association of cording to the current popularity of the words expressed and the beliefs held, you have destroyed those freedoms. They are destroyed not only for an unpopular minority, but for everyone, for everyone must excusen his words my sexist pronoun usage lest they be interpreted in an unpopular way. Right to bes the unpopular or even wrong in these areas without suffering the consequence of official censure, blacklist, or jail. Peaceloving people will find themselves unpopular with this community with this committee. A citizen may be held accountable only for his acts. This principle has been written into our constitution and has been spelled out for this committee often and elegantly. Intoommittees continued nation of all people under the pretext of attacking a few is his purpose. Enter myintend to believes or associations in a popularity contest in which the members of this committee are the judges. I shall offer no cooperation to the evil purpose of these hearings, except that which the force of law compels. I shall resist the committee in every way that the constitution provides. [applause] the day these hearings began, my oldest child started kindergarten. As i sat in this room, my thoughts wandered off into my little boy and the wonderful years of discoveries that lie ahead of him. Sordid spectacle and Congressional Committee masculine in our American Heritage for freedom of conscience, and i wondered what plans it must have is stored for rewriting our history books. Can it afford to have millions rs memorizing such subversive combinations of words as what all men are created all men are created equal, and will they say, of course they did not have the the advantage of these Scientific Research of race from nazi germany . Speech mean them of if my daddy is blacklisted because he says something that someone does not agree with. What do i teach my son or daughter . Tocareful, children, not think any thoughts that are not allowed, and above all, my been, because this cautious of a with any person who is not thoroughly approved. This would be distasteful. Can we guarantee that my children would be faced with a blacklist or jail . A guarantee is no such thing. The associations of one day might be disapproved on a later day. Per my children to be really safe, i must train them to think no thoughts, speak no words, and to trust no one. Its either that or an american where all people can once more think and speak freely and associate with whom they please without penalty. Faced with such a choice, any responsibilitys towards her children must take her stance from freedom of conscience and opposition to this committee. [applause] zero musto will take the witness stand mostel was beloved and he was known for the producers and a funny thing happened on the way to the forum. Reads herndrea costars testimony. [applause] in 1935, i was a painter, an artist, and i worked for the subsequently, i became an entertainer in 1942. You file the occupation of an artist . I called myself an artist. Aybe i am the only one who did but i also did many jobs. 1942. And then i did several independent films for columbia, warner bros. , and i was signed to a contract with 20th century fox or is it 18th century fox . [laughter] i dont recall. 20th century fox. Later ind eight years a film, the greatest architects artistic thing that is ever come down the pike, called the enforcer with humphrey bogart. You are known as zero, are you not . . Musser, after my financial standing in the community. Sir. Yes, your question . I refuse to is it that question on the grounds of the fifth amendment. During the course of our hearing, comedians have heard persons of various the communist party attending Many Communist Party functions. And many other meetings held and other, heart, favorites, which is a far cry from the accusation that the role of the sole communist is to overthrow the government. Was this an organization on the attorney general pro subversive list . Yes. Then i declined to into that question. Incidentally, there are some fine names on it. Milton berle. Sir, the joint antifascist Refugee Committee was on the eight attorney general for less. My point is, nevertheless the was declared subversive by the attorney general for a list long after the inception of that particular organization. Also, what of i understand of your questioning, sir, i was not accused or said to be a member of the communist party. I am relying on my constitutional privilege. I am not a big legal brain. I have a photo static copy of on behalf of the American Committee for the defense of freedom and in the chairman for this committee that was flirty. I think there is a red underscoring in the name of zero mostel. Were a blueline. I decline to answer this question on the previous grounds, my constitutional right. Did you become a member of union of television and radio artists. No, sir, i was blacklisted. We do not look forward to this with pleasure. I sure dont either. Why dont you remove yourself off from that atmosphere, sir . Be much better inspiration and enjoy to the American People if they just not ahere is not a drop, pinpoint of favorable attitude by you towards the communist conspiracy . My dear friend, i believe in the antiquated idea that a man works in his profession according to his ability rather than his political beliefs. When i entertain, my political beliefs are not spouted. I am casualof fact, about my political beliefs, which i would not tell anybody unless you were my friend and you were in my house. And i have bad instant coffee, i will tell you that. Im not asking about your political beliefs. A my dear friend, i believe human being should go on the stage and entertained to the best of his ability and say what he wants to say because we live, i hope, in an atmosphere of freedom in this country. Communist propaganda cannot survive and i daresay with your name on these many things for which communist funds were being raised for communist purposes furthered those purposes. It is unwise and impolitic for me to say this. If i appeared there, what if i did as the imitation of a butterfly . Therefore i was not. There is no crime in making anybody laugh. I dont care if you laugh at me. Your interpretation of a butterfly at rest brought any money into the coffers of the countrys party, you contributed directly to the propaganda effort of the communist party. Therein suppose i have the urge to do the butterfly at rest somewhere. You do havewhen that urge, do not have money in the coffers of the communist party as a result of that urge to put the butterfly at rest. Put the bug to rest some place else next time. I suggest we put this hearing butterfly to rest. The tickets, however, were on sale enough that the jefferson bookshop which i believe is a notorious communist bookshop the workers bookshop they were not on sale at macys. They might have been. Is excused. Ss thank you. Remember what i said to you. You will remember what i said to you. [applause] the Committee Calls a rep. Lipinski to the stand. Chairman chaikin directed 1976 aboutyfuss in the trial of the chicago 8 and gun violence. We have chosen the director of the chosen to read the riderdirector abraham polanskys testimony. Will be they congressman. Sharon kyle, the copublisher of our cosponsor hollywood progressive reads as republican congressmen totter. Without further ado [applause] what were some of the principal productions with which you were connected . I wrote screenplays body and soul, and i collaborated riding, and writing. Were you an official of Actors Laboratory . This is a question we will have to talk about here. Im going to refuse to answer , and so far as the First Amendment is concerned, i would like to use that one, too. Would you allow someone to broadcast over your station espousing the views of communism . I would allow them to broadcast, as long as they were legal entity. Espousing the views of communism . Yes, sir. Statement,design a the inquiry being as follows did you ever have or do you now have membership in or support any Political Party organization which advocates the overthrow of our constitutional form of government in the United States . To which is written the word no. Have signed a lot of forms in that time. This looks like one of many i did sign. That is my signature. Do you have any relatives in russia. In russia . I wouldnt know. My father was born in russia. So was my mother. Maybe that is poland. Im not sure. Are you aware that there is a communist movement in hollywood . That goes to the general sense of the question that i have said i must not answer in order not to incriminate myself, sir, and i refuse to answer that question. Polonsky, i presume you leave us, or me at least, with the impression that you have been and still are a member of the communist party . Further than that, refusing to you leavealty oath, me with the impression youre a very dangerous citizen. [laughter] well, i take the fifth amendment not to incriminate myself. I am not affirming or denying anything. Im doing that because the context is the thing today. Im not trying to leave that imputation of anything. The Founding Fathers wrote the fifth amendment for this type of interrogation. If the United States should be invaded by the soviet union, would you bear arms to defend the u. S. . I thought for very long and deep time about that because it has been asked many times of other people appear, and i dont think by committing ourselves to. War we can get peace i do not think that is the way to get peace. Will you bear arms for our country in the case of an attack by an aggressor . Will you volunteer for a duty that may be dangerous . I did not want to, but i did. If you received orders today to serve in korea, what would be your answer . I would naturally go. I said to you i would obey the laws, and i have and will do so in the future, but when you come and peacestion of war today, that is another question. Of fightingsense for what you believe is correct. The only piece we will have is a piece of tigers. Domination . Peace after the next war, sir. There will be ruined. We summon Gail Sondergaard. The officers to make political speeches began when Gail Sondergaard when the best supporting actress award. She spoke out about the spanish civil war. Huac testimony, iliana douglas, the granddaughter of oscarwinner melvyn douglas. After Richard Nixon signed as witch hunter, he ran against douglas, slandering her as pink down to her underwear. [applause] i couldnt bear to be tired when i look out and see marsha hunt here. No, very quickly, i just want to say my grandfather was and my grandmother helen hagan douglas. The reason he said that she was pink down to her underwear is he printed her voting record, which had on it liberal votes. A handful who voted against sending the hollywood 10 to prison. And then he said that she was pink right down to her underwear, and let me tell you, i am, too. I had to mention that. Another thing i had to say, my fathers grandmother my theaterher started a company. Since she was married to howard bieber berman, that is how she sadly,p becoming, becoming blacklisted. She was known back in the day, this is something that lee grant told me, as a pillow red, because you simply were married to someone you could be considered a communist. And now you may go, sure. Are you going with an Organization Called the National Council of american soviet mr. Chairman, i muster for you to a long list of organizations that refused to answer the question on the basis previously stated . Arei Say Something while we still in the business of printing every progressive and Progressive Organization in our country, organizations which have done a wonderful and fine work in the past, branding them as subversive . This i find very shocking and very saddening. Are you a member of the communist party . I refuse to answer that question for the reasons stated. Ly [indiscernible] i believe congress should do investigating work but i think timethis committee at this is doing incriminating work much more than investigating work, and that is the reason i wish to object. The records of the committee disclose you served as a sponsor of the cultural and Scientific Congress for world peace, which was held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in new york city, correct . It is a very odd thing that whenever the word peace comes up, people begin to tremble. I must refuse to answer that question for the reasons previously stated. I wonder if i can interrelate the fact that i am the wife of herbert b berman. He was one of the hollywood 10, who very recently has come out firsten for defending the amendment before this committee. In my statement i said in 1937 may i go on no. No. I just wanted that in the record. [applause] Bernard Gordon was subpoenaed to appear before the committee in 1952. He was never called to testify. He went on to write under pseudonyms. It is often said that politics makes strange rentals. Here ellen gordon recalls a humorous story of her blacklisted father, screenwriter howard gordon. [applause] it has been a long evening, hasnt it . But i think it has been very interesting to hear other sort of stories and to know how we all have the same history. [indiscernible] sorry . Will have the same industry and yet very different. As bernie records in his memoir, he wrote frequently under the ,en name of raymond t. Marcus which was a very good friend of his. I grew up with the marcus children. Now were all scattered. Apparently i answered the phone when charlie called one time from columbia and went chirping anyway, he was delighted because ronnieriding things for ronnie andthings for lindsey davis. This would be the only film in which they appeared together. This was long before ronalds political tribes. But everyone in hollywood news he had played a major role in theting and enforcing blacklist. Reagan became the president of the screen actors guild, and it was not yet known that reagan, while president of sag supplied im missing something here. He supplied names. Yes. Supplied names of guild activists and political suspects to the fbi. Hellcats was about the war in the pacific. I wrote these of captain, performed by reagan, had to perform a dive into the treacherous waters of japan to free some cables caught in the propeller and rescue the sub and crew from an approaching storm of japanese depth charges. For years after this, press chided me i have let ronnie, from the depths of the sea and survive for bigger and meaner projects. Also give me an opportunity to write a speech for the admiral. I wondered how he would feel knowing that a commie wrote to the words that he spoke. Later, when reagan inhabited the white house, there was our president , mouthing some of the better lines i had written for him, speaking the tender words i created for him to say to the Love Interest who, it turned out, became the first lady. I fantasized about contacting reagan, informing him i was the uncredited blacklisted screenwriter who had written one of his better roles and believed i was entitled to an invitation to one of the white house dinners. Thank you, thank you. I want to make a quick announcement. If you have read and appeared and not yet signed a release, i want to make sure that you see ken in the lobby. Sneak out to sink of the side door. Cspan is here. We want to make sure we can show this. Also, he is starting a list of his own. If you want to get in touch with the families, get on that list. Which, if you have not seen that, you should. Here to read his testimony is his daughter becca wilson. [applause] i dont want to dwell on the , to, but for a few moments speak of the future, and i address my remarks particularly whoou younger men and women have perhaps not established yourself in this industry at the time of the great witchhunts. I fear unless you remember this och and understand it, you may be doomed to replay it. Not with the same cast of characters, of course, or around the same issues, but i foresee a day coming in your lifetime, if not mine, when a new crisis of the leaf will grip this republic, when diversity of opinion will be labeled disloyalty, when chilling decisions affecting our culture will be made in the boardrooms ,f conglomerates and networks when the powers of the programmers and the sensors will rs expanded, and the censo will be extended, and extort or a pressure will be put on the riders of mass media writers of mass media. If this gloomy scenario should come to pass, i trust you younger men women will shelter the mavericks and dissenters in your ranks and protect the right to work. The guild will have the need of rebels if it is to survive a union of free writers. The nation will have need of them if it is to survive an open society. [applause] paul robeson had no doubts the blacklist exist appeared in the 1930s, he starred in movies and me the best known for signature song and may be best known for signature song old man river. Antired riot erupted when he and others performed in new york. He saw his annual earnings dropped from 100,000 to 2000. He was in big demand abroad, but the u. S. Government revoked his past work his passport in 1950. [indiscernible] mustrtuguese him him what portrays him and what mustve been his greatest role. Are on sale in the lobby. On travel documents in furtherance of the economy nest conspiracy. A flight or passport in july of 1954, where you required to supply a noncommunist affidavit . We had a long discussion with my counsel, with the state department about just such an affidavit. I was very precise, not only in the application, but with the state department, under no conditions would i find such an affidavit. That is a complete contradiction of the rights of the american citizen. Did you comply with the request . I certainly did not and will not. Are you a member of the communist party . Oh, please, please, please. Please answer, mr. Robeson. What you mean by the communist party . Direct the answer to answer the question . What is the communist party . Do you mean people who have sacrificed for my people and all americans so they can live in dignity . Do you mean that party . Are you now a member of the communist already . Would you like to come to the ballot box when i vote and take out the ballot and see . [indiscernible] desire to consider anything. It is none of your business what i do. You are to answer the question. Gentlemen, in the first place, wherever i have been in england, manyia, places, the first to die in the struggle against fascism where i have laidts, and many reeves on the graves of the communists. It is not criminal. And the fifth amendment has nothing to do with criminality. Mr. Chairman, this is not a laughing matter. It was a laughing matter to me. This is complete nonsense. You are the author of a bill that will keep all kinds of decent people out of the country, people like myself. But just to be teutonic, anglosaxon stock, that you would let, in, too. You do not want any colored people to come in. Is ieason i you today shall not be allowed to travel because i have struggled for years for the independence of the colonial peoples of africa, for many years. And i also believe that i can say that my name is very much honored for their struggles. This is the kind of independence wee in indonesia, or lest are double parking, in these efforts, in the interest of africa, would be in the same withxt lest we speak lest we are double talking. This is why item here. This is the basis. I am not being tried for why i am a communist. I have being tried for fighting for the rights of my people who are still second class citizens in these United States of america. I stand here because im struggling for the rights of my people to be citizens in this country. And they are not. They are not in mississippi. They are not in montgomery, alabama. They are not in washington. And that is why i am here today. You want to shut up every negro who has the courage to stand up for the right of his people, for the rights of workers, and i have been on many a picket line for steelworkers, chia will. And that is why i am here today. Listen to me. I said it was unthinkable to me that any people would take up this u. S. Ame of government should go down to mississippi and protect my people. That is what should happen. In russia, i felt for the first feeling no fool color prejudice like i feel in mississippi, no color prejudice like i feel in washington. It was the first time i felt like a human being. Where i did not feel the pressure of color as i feel it in this committee today. Why do you not stay in russia . Slaveause my father was a in my people died to build this country. I am going to stay here and have a part of it just like you, and no fascist minded people will drive me from it. Is that clear . Friendshipr peace or with fascist franco and i am not germany. With nazi i am for peace with decent people. You are here because you are promoting the communist cause. I am here because im a polling im opposing the neofascist cause. Frederick douglass could be sitting here. Eugene debs could be sitting here. And you, gentlemen, are the alien and sedition acts. And you are the on americans. And you ought to be ashamed. Point of order. Can i read my statement . No, you cannot read it. The meeting is adjourned. Is what i say. Black lives matter, gentlemen. [applause] wow. That was really something. Did note department issue paul robeson a passport for another tws, not until 1958. Do you believe that . Tonight, we noted how people who as kirklacklisted such douglas, lee grant, Otto Preminger courageously rose to do the right thing. We do not mean to minimize the but inng of those addition to recognizing those who are blacklisted, tonight we honor the men and women who, when the chips were down, stood up for the bullied, the hounded, the oppressed in taking a bold stand in favor of human rights, simple decency. These brave people put themselves in harms way, too low. Nowadays when we see groups under attack, immigrants, refugees, religious and ethnic the free press, we have to join them and ask of resistance. Not only because its the right thing to do, but because if you do not stand up when you witness injustice, if you do not stand injustice, witness then next time, they may come for you, but nobody may be left to defend you. For those who want to stand up today, two events are happening weekend. Ext the very First West Coast form is taking place november 3 through november 5, and you heard from our cosponsors tonight. They run the hollywood progressive in the l. A. Progressive. And refuse fascism is launching nationwide protests to drive the truckpence regime from office. Meet at 1 p. M. Another to radical regime in washington that assault media as fake news and the enemy of the people and threatens to remove broadcast licenses, we end with a reminder of american journalism fell finest moments leroux challenged senator Joseph Mccarthy. He charity permit subcommittee on investigations, often using slurs and innuendos mccarthy and his subcommittee focused on alleged communist subversion in the federal government and u. S. Army. Although mccarthy did call some , the civiltestify libertarian was impressed by merles audacity in attacking mccarthy on television, which sparked the beginning of the end of mccarthys reign of terror. He went on to name his only son after the legendary news man. When he showed fred friendly the letter he sent to his dad, family said youre the only america named after ed. We must not forget that roy cohn went on to become Donald Trumps attorney. Read, we have the coorganizer. [applause] it is necessary to investigate before legislating, but the line between investigating and persecuting is a very fine one, and the junior senator from wisconsin has repeatedly. It his primary achievement has been in confusing the public mind between the internal and external threats of communism. We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. We must remember always that accusation is not proof, mr. Inspectionthat can conviction depends on evidence and due process of law. We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear. Nto an age of unreason we will dig deep in our history and our doctrine and remember we are not descended from fearful men and women. Not from men and women who feared to write, to speak to causeste and to defend that were, for the moment, unpopular. Men whono time for oppose senator mccarthys methods to keep silent. We can deny our heritage and our history, but we cannot escape responsibility for the results. There is no way for a citizen of a republic to abdicate his responsibility. As a nation we have come into our full inheritance at a tender age. Ourselves, as we whereefenders of freedom, ever continues to exist in the world, but we cannot defend Freedom Abroad by deserting it at home. The actions of the junior senator from wisconsin have caused alarm and dismay amongst our allies abroad and given considerable comfort to our enemies, and who fall whose fault is that . Not really his. He did not create the situation of fear. Here merely exploited it he merely exploited it, and rather successfully. Was right. Assius brutis, was not in our stars, but in ourselves. We have to be out here in three minutes. Lets all say on the count of three we are spartacus 1, 2, 3. We are spartacus at your own expense, everybody. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2017] interested in American History tv . Visit our website. Lectures, museum tours, archival films, and more. American history tv at cspan. Org history