The Threat of Those Un-American Colors:
A Comparison of Communism During The Red Scare & The Lavender Panic
Abstract:
The Red Scare (1947-1954) and The Lavender Panic (1947-1975) are often overshadowed by the end of World War II and the beginning of the U.S. participation in the Vietnam War. Taking place during the Cold War between the United States and the U.S.S.R, The Red Scare and The Lavender Panic are characterized as mass moral hysteria, changing the perception of social and educational loyalties. With rising tensions surrounding the fear of communism, and the threat of Nuclear War, teachers and educators suffered intense scrutiny. The government deployed tactics to test the loyalty of educators and federal employees, even going so far as to constitute them as security risks. As educators and teachers struggled to prove their loyalty, confidentiality, and patriotism, LGBTQAI+ workers also found themselves on the chopping block for the same reasons. Ultimately, the effects of America’s anti-communism movement pushed for censorship and a question of loyalty, security, and identity. Education, curriculum, and legislation changes highlighted the level of anxiety about war, fear of communism, and tension between parties raging through the United States.