Defending Rights & Dissent
Defending Rights & Dissent (DRAD) is a national not-for-profit advocacy organization in the United States, dedicated to defending civil liberties, exposing government repression, and protecting the right of political dissent. DRAD was formed as the merger of the Defending Dissent Foundation (DDF) and the Bill of Rights Defense Committee (BORDC). DRAD is currently active in defending the right to protest, opposing political surveillance, and campaigning against the prosecution of national security whistleblowers.
1976 NCARL poster objecting to unconstitutional provisions of SB1, a proposed bill rewriting sections of the federal criminal code
House Un-American Activities Committee
The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA), popularly the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives, created in 1938 to investigate alleged disloyalty and subversive activities on the part of private citizens, public employees, and those organizations suspected of having communist ties. It became a standing (permanent) committee in 1946, and from 1969 onwards it was known as the House Committee on Internal Security. When the House abolished the committee in 1975, its functions were transferred to the House Judiciary Committee.
Chairman Martin Dies of the House Un-American Activities Committee proofreads his October 26, 1938 letter replying to President Roosevelt's attack on the committee.
Lee Slater Overman headed the first congressional investigation of American communism back in 1919.
Texas Democrat Martin Dies Jr. served as chair of the Special Committee on Un-American Activities, predecessor to the permanent committee, for its entire seven-year duration.
Democrat Francis E. Walter of Pennsylvania was chair of HUAC from 1955 until his death in 1963.