Oscar Shaftel and the Menace of McCarthyism
In 1953 he was one of three Queens College faculty members fired for citing the Fifth Amendment and refusing to answer questions about Communist affiliation in academia before the Senate Internal Security Committee. This McCarthyistic purge had long-lasting repercussions for Queens College, New York State, and more personally, Shaftel’s family. Through it all, Shaftel never gave up the fight for restitution, which he finally won thirty years later.
The Oscar Shaftel and the Menace of McCarthyism digital exhibit uses primary sources to shine a light on this dark and debilitating chapter in American history, as well as the heroic fight waged by Shaftel and others for democratic, First Amendment rights. The exhibit also publicizes unique resources held by Queens College Special Collections and Archives that tell this story.
Viewers may follow the exhibit consecutively using the blue buttons at the bottom of each page, or access the table of contents from the header at the top of each page to locate a particular section.