People remember the persecution that those who were suspected of being affiliated with the communist party faced. The lavender scare comes out in a small, art cinema in greenwich village where else during 50 anniversary of stonewall. In 1956 the florida legislative investigation committee flic was formed with the same thinking that was behind the lavender scare. Metrofocus is made possible by james and merryl tisch, sue and edgar wachenheim iii, the sylvia a. The lavender scare is a documentary produced by pbs, billed by its production team as a compelling story of a fight for justice and a chilling reminder of how easy it can be, during a time of fear and uncertainty, to trample the rights of an entire class of. Johnson brings to the forefront the lavender scare that accompanied the red scare during the cold war. Johnson, the lavender scare illuminates a littleknown chapter of american history, and serves as a timely reminder of the value of vigilance and social action when civil liberties are under attack. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comic con sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. Stream tracks and playlists from the lavender scare on your desktop or mobile device. In this book, johnson concludes that the lavender scare, as it became routinized in the bureaucracy of the national security state, outlasted its more wellknown cousin, the red scare. The lavender scare is a new documentary that explains the genesis of that ban and the man who started the movement to get the ban overturned. Johnson, the lavender scare illuminates a littleknown chapter of american history, and serves as a. Interviews with key figures in the social justice campaign tell the story in dramatic fashion.
The cold war persecution of gays and lesbians in the federal government repositions gay and lesbian persecution during the cold ware at the center of cold war hysteria rather than at the margins. He demonstrates how, in the language of the 1950s, security risk became a virtual code word for homosexual. The lavender scare shows how tens of thousands of gay and lesbian americans were interrogated, lost jobs and careers. This film is particularly timely with a new bill from democrats in congress that aims to bring these unjustified firings and harassment. Tydings worked to discredit mccarthys claim, but, in the process, the subcommittee concluded that the state department was overrun with sexual perverts, part of the socalled lavender scare. The lavender scare a documentary film by josh howard. National values and ideologies combine with interests to generate national. As the lavender scare reveals, tens of thousands were fired from their jobs in a decadeslong effort by the u. The lavender scare refers to a witch hunt and the mass firings of homosexual people in the 1950s from the united states government.
The lavender scare s effects, however, were still lasting. The red scare and the lavender scare happened at approximately the same time in 45 the 1950s, both feeding off of each the fear generated by the other, but both began before. It grows in a wide range of climates, including the dry western u. The flic was responsible for firing more than 200 allegedly gay teachers until it was disbanded in 1964. Although there are some glaring omissions in johnsons book, including substantive discussions of roy cohn a top aid to joseph mccarthy and fbi chief j. The lavender scare is a compelling story of one mans fight for justice. Then they should take turns as they arrive, consoli. Knight and david hyde pierce, the lavender scare tells the littleknown story of an unrelenting. The fires that fueled this violation of civil rights was joseph mccarthys claim that the u. Lavender lavendula angustifolia, commonly known as english lavender, is a hardy perennial herb with lovely bluishpurple flowers and an even lovelier scent. The cold war persecution of gays and lesbian in the federal government chicago, 2004. The mccarthy era is generally considered the worst period of pol. The lavender scare is a top quality documentary out in.
State department and other agencies had been infiltrated by communist agents, and homosexuals, if not actual. Eisenhower deemed homosexuals to be security risks and vowed to rid the federal government of all employees discovered to be gay or lesbian. Johnson utilizes extensive interviews to demonstrate the way the purges changed the lives of victims and the social milieu of washington d. Patriots across the nation fought to keep stalin and his soviet henchmen from infiltrating our government.
The lavender scare was a dark time for lgbtq people as many federal employees were fired because they were gay or suspected to be so. This episode tells the story of the lavender scare through the experience of a woman, helen james, who was serving in the us military when she was dishonorably discharged for accusations that she was a lesbian. Gay men and lesbians were said to be security risks and communist sympathizers, which led to the call to remove them from state employment. The lavender scare was a moral panic about homosexual people in the united states. Partly based on the awardwinning book by historian david k. The lavender scare refers to the fear and persecution of homosexuals in the 1950s in the united states, which paralleled the anticommunist campaign known as mccarthyism. Senate, rg 46 the red scare, the congressional witchhunt. The lavender scare is a very readable and valuable work that clarifies the relationship between the cold war and national security interests, and those victimized by the need to preserve said security. The toy story lightyears latest adventure, tom hanks. With the united states gripped in the panic of the 1950s cold war, president dwight d. Persecution of lesbianism during the cold war jessica toops the cold war era of the 1950s is often connected with the red scare and the idea that the spread of communism must be stopped no matter the cost. Victims of lavender scare may get apology instinct magazine. The lavender scare the story behind the lavender scare.
A film that exposes a shameful witch hunt that targeted gay and lesbian federal workers and gave birth to the lgbt rights movement. Josh howard is raising funds for the lavender scare a documentary film on kickstarter. Frank kameny leads a picket line in front of independence hall in philadelphia on july 4, 1965. The lavender scare offers an arresting political narrative, but johnson also makes sure to present the very human face of this drama. State department fired 91 employees because they were homosexual or suspected of being homosexual. The lavender scare part 1 your queer story paul hobbs. The us broke out in a fever that saw a red soviet agent under ones bed. Before it ended, this lavender scare cost thousands of federal employees their jobs and many their lives, but it also ignited the sparks of the modern gay rights movement. Because the psychiatric community regarded homosexuality as a mental illness, gay men and lesbians were considered.
This work will take its place beside those of george chauncey and allen berube, and every serious student of 20th century american. The lavender scare was a moral panic about homosexual people in the united states government and their mass dismissal from government service. The lavender scare sheds light on the actions of the u. Edgar hoovers involvement in the lavender scare, plus overarching connections between the anticommunist campaigns with pervasive antisemitism in the united states, johnson makes a valuable. The purpose of the committee was to investigate and fire public school teachers who were gay. Request the article directly from the author on researchgate. By joining the military or relocating to work in the defense industry, men. The lavender scare not only broke up and quieted the cities queer communities who were afraid of federal employment discrimination and potential hate crime, but it also resulted in a largely conservative, homogenous culture within the government.
The first documentary film to tell the story of the u. Based on the awardwinning book by historian david k. The lavender scare use one of the services below to sign in to pbs. But first, we need you to sign in to pbs using one of the services below. The lavender scare makes apparent the ugly and dehumanizing realities that a cursory gened survey of american history is all too happy to gloss over. The lavender scare an essential and absorbing documentary tells the story of the political repression of homosexuality in america in the 50s, when antigay panic fused with. And it is a chilling reminder of how easy it can be, during a time of fear and uncertainty, to trample the rights of an entire class of people in the name of patriotism and national security. Red scares, lavender scares, and the quest for equality. During the late 1940s to the 1960s, lgbtq people were systematically fired from their federal jobs because the us government thought that being gay.
Fired 5,000 gays in 1953 witch hunt joan cassidy left active duty in the navy for fear of being outed as lesbian. The cold war persecution of gays and lesbians in the federal government johnson, david k. It contributed to and paralleled the anticommunist campaign known as mccarthyism and the second red scare. The lavender scare shines a spotlight on the repugnant and littleknown story of the u. Lavender available for download and read online in other formats. National security and the lgbt community from the lavender.
This is red scares, lavender scares, and the quest for equality during the early cold war, section 9. Almost 70 years ago the red and lavender scare broke out on the american body political. The lavender scare airs tuesday, june 18, 2019 at 9 p. The sad tragedy is that no homosexual american citizen was either charged or convicted of colluding with the russians. The episode situates her experiences within the broader cold warera lavender scare and concludes by discussing how veterans sharing.
Produced and directed by josh howard, the lavender scare is a new documentary on pbs about the u. From the lavender scare to an environment of embrace. Narrated by glenn close and featuring the voices of cynthia nixon, zachary quinto, t. In 1950, a subcommittee chaired by maryland senator millard tydings convened to investigate joseph mccarthys notorious list of 205 known communists. Johnson, this powerful and illuminating documentary uses archival footage and firsthand accounts to trace the history of americas. Todays the last day to go see it at laemmle music hall. Josh howards documentary the lavender scare chronicles the aftermath of president eisenhowers 1953 executive order banning gays and lesbians from working for the u. These people are frightened to death national archives. In addition to illuminating a littleknown chapter of american history, the lavender scare is a timely reminder of the value of vigilance and social action when civil liberties are under attack. In the 1950s a wave of communist fear swept the country in what would become known as the red, and the lavender scare. Learn the untold story of how tens of thousands of homosexual federal workers were either fired or denied employment in the 1950s, starting an lgbtq rights movement. The cold war persecution of gays and lesbians in the federal government. Congressional investigations and the lavender scare summer 2016, vol. It highlights the birth of modern american homophobia, as well as illuminates the way in which it was baselessly tied to the red scare to create a false equivalence between covert soviet agents and the american lgbt community.
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