Second Red Scare

Definition

The Second Red Scare (1947-1957) was a period of intense anti-communist suspicion and fear in the United States, marked by investigations into suspected communist infiltration in American institutions.

Related terms

McCarthyism: A political campaign led by Senator Joseph McCarthy during the early 1950s that accused many citizens, including public figures, of being Communists or Communist sympathizers.

House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC): A committee of the U.S. House of Representatives that investigated allegations of communist activity in the U.S during the early years of the Cold War (1945-91).

Blacklisting: The practice of denying employment to individuals who were suspected or accused of being communists or sympathizing with communism during the Second Red Scare.