Blacklist: The Hollywood Red Scare – Virtual Experience

“I am a man of a thousand faces, and all of them are blacklisted.” -Zero Mostel

Join the JMM for an inside look at our current exhibit Blacklist: The Hollywood Red Scare, through a digital presentation led by Noah Mitchel, the JMM’s Program Coordinator. In the late 1940s, the House Un-American Activities Committee began targeting the film industry, citing suspicions of Communist infiltration. Anti-Communist and anti-labor repression led to actors, writers and other Hollywood professionals being put on “blacklists,” preventing them from getting work in their industry. 

This history of cinematic proportions includes the likes of Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, Humphrey Bogart and Zero Mostel. Learn what the FBI had to say about It’s a Wonderful Life and see who “named names.” Hear about the roles played by movie studios, the American Legion and Ayn Rand, and the impact the blacklist had on actors, writers, and directors. Learn about the political, economic, and historical context that allowed the blacklist to happen.

This hour-long experience on Zoom features images and content from the exhibit and includes the opportunity for attendees to ask their own questions. Check out the exhibit at the JMM until October 31st.

Attendance is free and open to the public. You can register for this event here: Jewish Museum of Maryland (blackbaudhosting.com)

Blacklist: The Hollywood Red Scare is an original exhibit created by and on loan from Jewish Museum Milwaukee.