American Committee for Cultural Freedom.

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Committee of prominent artists and intellectuals organized as the U.S. affiliate of the Congress for Cultural Freedom in 1950, but with roots in a long dormant domestic organization, the Committee for Cultural Freedom (1939-1940). Activities and programs on behalf of cultural freedom were generally informed by the staunch anti-communist orientation associated with the height of the Cold War period. Variant responses to the mid-1950's waning of these Cold War tensions led first to disaffiliation with the international organization and finally to formal dissolution in 1957. At the height of its activities, scores of artists and intellectuals across a surprisingly broad political spectrum were involved with the Committee either as invited members, as participants in its numerous campaigns and programs, or as correspondents. In leadership roles and among the most significant correspondents were Daniel Bell, James T. Farrell, Sidney Hook, Irving Kristol, and Diana Trilling. Less actively involved but well represented by letters are Robert Oppenheimer, David Reisman, Arthur Schlesinger Jr., and Norman Thomas. Negative responses to membership invitations include Hannah Arendt and James Conant.

From the description of Records, 1939-1957, 1950-1957 (bulk). (New York University). WorldCat record id: 478332642

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Guide to the American Committee for Cultural Freedom Records, 1939-1957 Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Arendt, Hannah, 1906-1975. person
associatedWith Bell, Daniel, 1919- person
associatedWith Conant, James Bryant, 1893-1978. person
associatedWith Congress for Cultural Freedom. corporateBody
associatedWith Farrell, James T. 1904-1979. person
associatedWith Hook, Sidney, 1902-1989. person
associatedWith International Association for Cultural Freedom. corporateBody
associatedWith Jacobs, Norman, 1914- person
associatedWith Kristol, Irving. person
associatedWith National Emergency Civil Liberties Committee (U.S.) corporateBody
associatedWith Oppenheimer, J. Robert, 1904-1967. person
associatedWith Riesman, David, 1909-2002. person
associatedWith Rossiter, Clinton, 1917-1970. person
associatedWith Schlesinger, Arthur M. 1917-2007. person
associatedWith Schuyler, George Samuel, 1895- person
associatedWith Spender, Stephen, 1909-1995. person
associatedWith Struve, Gleb. person
associatedWith Thomas, Norman, 1884-1968. person
associatedWith Trilling, Diana. person
associatedWith Urey, Harold Clayton, 1893-1981. person
associatedWith Wittfogel, Karl August, 1896-1988. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Subject
Anti-communist movements
Right and left (Political science)
Occupation
Activity

Corporate Body

Active 1939

Active 1957

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