November 24

This Day in History

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Lead Story
Origin of Species is published, 1859
American Revolution
Mohawk Chief Joseph Brant dies, 1807
Automotive
John Froelich, inventor of the gas-powered tractor, is born, 1849
Civil War
Union troops prevail at the Battle of Lookout Mountain, 1863
Cold War
"Hollywood 10" cited for contempt of Congress, 1947
Crime
The FBI Crime Lab opens its doors for business, 1932
Disaster
Ferry sinks in Yellow Sea, killing hundreds, 1999
General Interest
Irish author and nationalist executed, 1922
Jack Ruby kills Lee Harvey Oswald, 1963
Hijacker parachutes into thunderstorm, 1971
Hollywood
Robin Williams stars in Mrs. Doubtfire, 1993
Literary
Origin of Species is published, 1859
Music
Ringo Starr earns a solo #1 hit with "Photograph", 1973
Old West
John Neihardt, ghostwriter of Black Elk Speaks, dies, 1973
Presidential
Zachary Taylor is born, 1784
Sports
Wilt Chamberlain sets NBA rebounds record, 1960
Vietnam War
LBJ to continue Kennedy policy in Vietnam, 1963
U.S. casualty rates hit new high, 1965
U.S. Army announces Calley will be tried, 1969
World War I
Yugoslav National Council expresses concerns about post-war boundaries , 1918
World War II
U.S. B-29s raid Tokyo, 1944

Cold War

Nov 24, 1947:

"Hollywood 10" cited for contempt of Congress

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The House of Representatives votes 346 to 17 to approve citations of contempt against 10 Hollywood writers, directors, and producers. These men had refused to cooperate at hearings dealing with communism in the movie industry held by the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). The "Hollywood 10," as the men were known, are sentenced to one year in jail. The Supreme Court later upheld the contempt charges.
The contempt charges stemmed from the refusal of the 10 men to answer questions posed by HUAC as to whether they were or had ever been members of the Communist Party. In hearings that often exploded with rancor, the men denounced the questions as violations of their First Amendment rights. Albert Maltz, Dalton Trumbo, John Howard Lawson, Samuel Ornitz, Ring Lardner, Jr., Lester Cole, Alvah Bessie, Herbert Biberman, Edward Dmytryk, and Robert Adrian Scott were thereupon charged with contempt of Congress. The chairman of HUAC, J. Parnell Thomas, dismissed the arguments raised by the men, claiming that Congress had every right to ask people what their political affiliations were. "The Constitution," he declared, "was never intended to cloak or shield those who would destroy it." The Hollywood 10 responded with a joint statement in which they argued that HUAC had succeeded in having "the Congress cite the Bill of Rights for contempt." "The United States," the statement concluded, "can keep its constitutional liberties or it can keep the Thomas committee. It can't keep both."
The impact of the charges against the Hollywood 10 was immediate and long-lasting. Hollywood quickly established the so-called "blacklist," a collection of names of Hollywood personalities suspected of having communist ties. Those on the list rarely found work in the movies. The contempt charges also created a chilling effect on the Hollywood film industry, and producers, directors, and writers shied away from subject matter that might be considered the least bit controversial or open them up to charges of being soft on communism. The blacklist was not completely broken until the 1960s.

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This Week in History, Nov 24 - Nov 30

Nov 24, 1947
"Hollywood 10" cited for contempt of Congress
Nov 25, 1947
London Council of Foreign Ministers meeting begins
Nov 26, 1950
Chinese counterattacks in Korea change nature of war
Nov 27, 1954
Alger Hiss released from prison
Nov 28, 1989
Czechoslovakian Communist Party gives up monopoly on political power
Nov 29, 1952
Eisenhower goes to Korea
Nov 30, 1981
The United States and U.S.S.R. open talks to reduce intermediate-range nuclear forces

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