During the 1956 campaign, the Communists published a report that appeared to endorse the Democrats, and Kefauver in particular. it caused a stir… but why didn’t it dominate the campaign?
In 1949, a Memphis newspaper editor proposed a statement of principles for democratic societies. With democracy under threat today, what can we learn from it?
Espionage trials, loyalty oaths, and textbook investigations were common during the early years of the Cold War. Supporters claimed they were needed to combat the Red menace… but what about our Constitutional rights? In 1949, Kefauver stood up for the First Amendment against a prominent anti-Communist Senator in a nationally broadcast discussion.
Kefauver used congressional investigations as a route to fame. But he also understood how they could be abused. And he tried to do something about it. But as usual, Congress couldn’t be bothered to act.
In the 1950s, right-wing groups like the American Legion were dedicated to rooting out Communism and world government everywhere they found. Even when they found it in… the Girl Scout Handbook?
A couple of dangerous conservative bills aimed at crippling the Supreme Court appeared to be on a path to passage… until Lyndon Johnson pulled off some impressive legislative moves.
In the late 1950s, a cross-party coalition of Congressional conservatives joined forces to try and muzzle the Warren Court. What got them so angry, and why have we forgotten this chapter of American history?
After World War II, America tried to develop a plan for civil defense in case of a nuclear attack. Why didn’t it work out, and who’s to blame for its failure?
During the infamous comic book hearings, the publisher of EC Comics volunteered to defend the honor of his industry. It went… poorly. But the story is more complicated than it’s usually told.
Kefauver’s first Senate term made him nationally famous… but controversial at home. To win re-election, he’d have to face a hyper-ambitious young Congressman who just wouldn’t… stop… talking.
Before he started slinging irresponsible accusations about Communism, Joseph McCarthy was slinging irresponsible accusations about the Army… and sticking up for the Nazis. No, seriously.
Estes Kefauver’s opponents tried to smear him by tying him to Vito Marcantonio. Who was Marcantonio? Think of him as the AOC or Rashida Tlaib of his day.
Estes Kefauver always took a strong stance on civil rights. Time and again, he stood up for suspected Communists and other unpopular groups. In the era of McCarthyism and the Red Scare, that was a lonely place to be.
During the 1956 campaign, the Communists published a report that appeared to endorse the Democrats, and Kefauver in particular. it caused a stir… but why didn’t it dominate the campaign?
In 1949, a Memphis newspaper editor proposed a statement of principles for democratic societies. With democracy under threat today, what can we learn from it?
Espionage trials, loyalty oaths, and textbook investigations were common during the early years of the Cold War. Supporters claimed they were needed to combat the Red menace… but what about our Constitutional rights? In 1949, Kefauver stood up for the First Amendment against a prominent anti-Communist Senator in a nationally broadcast discussion.
Kefauver used congressional investigations as a route to fame. But he also understood how they could be abused. And he tried to do something about it. But as usual, Congress couldn’t be bothered to act.
In the 1950s, right-wing groups like the American Legion were dedicated to rooting out Communism and world government everywhere they found. Even when they found it in… the Girl Scout Handbook?
A couple of dangerous conservative bills aimed at crippling the Supreme Court appeared to be on a path to passage… until Lyndon Johnson pulled off some impressive legislative moves.
In the late 1950s, a cross-party coalition of Congressional conservatives joined forces to try and muzzle the Warren Court. What got them so angry, and why have we forgotten this chapter of American history?
After World War II, America tried to develop a plan for civil defense in case of a nuclear attack. Why didn’t it work out, and who’s to blame for its failure?
During the infamous comic book hearings, the publisher of EC Comics volunteered to defend the honor of his industry. It went… poorly. But the story is more complicated than it’s usually told.
Kefauver’s first Senate term made him nationally famous… but controversial at home. To win re-election, he’d have to face a hyper-ambitious young Congressman who just wouldn’t… stop… talking.
Before he started slinging irresponsible accusations about Communism, Joseph McCarthy was slinging irresponsible accusations about the Army… and sticking up for the Nazis. No, seriously.
Estes Kefauver’s opponents tried to smear him by tying him to Vito Marcantonio. Who was Marcantonio? Think of him as the AOC or Rashida Tlaib of his day.
Estes Kefauver always took a strong stance on civil rights. Time and again, he stood up for suspected Communists and other unpopular groups. In the era of McCarthyism and the Red Scare, that was a lonely place to be.
Estes Kefauver for President 