Woman on a Mission
For pioneering journalist Bessie Beatty, women’s suffrage and the plight of labor were linked inextricably.
When the Girl Scouts Were Accused of Being Commies
In response to right-wing attacks during the Cold War, the Girl Scouts changed their tone. Somewhat.
How Annie Lee Moss Survived McCarthyism
Moss, a Black government employee with activist experience, was hauled in front of Congress on suspicion of being a Communist.
Did Communists Really Infiltrate American Schools?
Fears that teachers were indoctrinating kids were rampant in the 1950s. But the reality was more complicated.
Black Americans in the Popular Front against Fascism
The era of anti-fascist struggle was a crucial moment for Black radicals of all stripes.
What Did the Diggers Really Believe?
The early modern Protestant sect has been seen as a predecessor to radical political views. But is that how they saw themselves?
Anti-War Posters from City College of New York
A collection of flyers and other material circulated at The City College of New York (CCNY) between 1934 and 1936.
The Red Scare and Women in Government
In 1952, a government administrator named Mary Dublin Keyserling was accused of being a communist. The attack on her was also an attack on feminism.
McCarthyism at the Oscars
As José Ferrer was being handed his Oscar—making him the first Latino actor to win—he was being investigated by the House Un-American Activities Committee.
In the McCarthy Era, to Be Black Was to Be Red
The Marxist sympathies of Black radical leaders like Paul Robeson, Alice Childress, and Lorraine Hansberry made them targets for the FBI.