The National Council of (the) Arts, Sciences and Professions (NCASP or ASP) was a United States–based socialist organization of the 1950s. Entertainment trade publication ''Box Office'' characterized the ASP as, "an independent organization to support
residential candidate HenryWallace."
The ASP sponsored the
Cultural and Scientific Conference for World Peace, held at the
Waldorf-Astoria hotel in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
for three days in late March, 1949.
[
] It was a controversial conference, picketed by Catholic War Veterans.
W. E. B. Du Bois gave an impassioned speech on the final night.
[ The ASP asked Du Bois to represent them at the World Congress of the Partisans of Peace in Paris in April 1949.][ Du Bois also attended, on behalf of the ASP, the All-Soviet Peace Conference in August 1949.][
]
Campaign Against the Hollywood Blacklist
The ASP actively campaigned against the Hollywood blacklist
The Hollywood blacklist was the mid-20th century banning of suspected Communists from working in the United States entertainment industry. The blacklisting, blacklist began at the onset of the Cold War and Red Scare#Second Red Scare (1947–1957 ...
, filing an amicus brief to the Supreme Court
In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
against conviction of the ' Hollywood Ten' in the fall of 1948. The ASP placed an advertisement in the December 1, 1948 issue of Variety, signed by Arthur Miller, Norman Mailer
Nachem Malech Mailer (January 31, 1923 – November 10, 2007), known by his pen name Norman Kingsley Mailer, was an American writer, journalist and filmmaker. In a career spanning more than six decades, Mailer had 11 best-selling books, at least ...
, Lillian Hellman
Lillian Florence Hellman (June 20, 1905 – June 30, 1984) was an American playwright, Prose, prose writer, Memoir, memoirist, and screenwriter known for her success on Broadway as well as her communist views and political activism. She was black ...
, Clifford Odets, and others, calling for the revocation of the Hollywood blacklist; theater professionals Alfred Drake and Garson Kanin
Garson Kanin (November 24, 1912 – March 13, 1999) was an American writer and director of plays and films.
Early life
Garson Kanin was born in Rochester, New York; his Jewish family later relocated to Detroit then to New York City. He at ...
were listed as co-chairman of the ASP's Theatre Division.. The ASP staged a series of public New York City rallies against the blacklist
Blacklisting is the action of a group or authority compiling a blacklist of people, countries or other entities to be avoided or distrusted as being deemed unacceptable to those making the list; if people are on a blacklist, then they are considere ...
in the fall of 1951.
Film Division
The ASP operated a 'Film Division' headquartered at the Hotel Iroquois, 49 West 44th Street in New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
in the late-1940s.
See also
* Independent Citizens Committee of the Arts, Sciences and Professions
* Progressive Citizens of America
References
External links
FBI report
1940s establishments in the United States
Anti–nuclear weapons movement
Peace organizations based in the United States
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