Committee on Un-American Activities

The Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) was a U.S. congressional committee established in 1938 to investigate alleged disloyalty and subversive activities by government employees, leftist groups, and others during the Cold War. It focused particularly on communism and fascism, often scrutinizing Hollywood and the entertainment industry for supposed communist influence. HUAC hearings were controversial, leading to accusations of violating civil rights and creating a culture of fear regarding political beliefs. The committee's activities peaked in the late 1940s and early 1950s but declined in influence after the turbulent Red Scare period. It was officially disbanded in 1975.