The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) was a United States congressional committee that was established in 1938 to investigate alleged disloyalty and subversive activities on the part of private citizens, public employees, and organizations suspected of having Communist ties.
HUAC was initially created as a special committee to investigate un-American propaganda in the United States, but its mandate was later expanded to include investigating alleged Communist infiltration of the federal government, Hollywood, and other American institutions.
HUAC was known for its aggressive and often heavy-handed tactics, which included holding public hearings, issuing subpoenas, and demanding that witnesses testify about their political beliefs and associations. Many individuals who appeared before HUAC were subjected to intense questioning and public scrutiny.
The committee's investigations often resulted in blacklists of individuals who were suspected of being Communists or Communist sympathizers. These blacklists had a significant impact on the careers of many individuals in Hollywood and other industries, as they were effectively denied employment based on their political beliefs.
HUAC's activities were controversial and widely criticized, both by those who believed that the committee was necessary to protect the United States from internal subversion and by those who saw it as an attack on civil liberties and freedom of speech.
In 1975, HUAC was dissolved and replaced by the House Committee on Internal Security.