The Loyalty Review Board and its Impact on American Society

Formation and Objectives of the Loyalty Review Board

In the context of rising Cold War tensions, President Harry S. Truman established the Loyalty Review Board through Executive Order 9835 on March 21, 1947. The Board's mission was to assess the allegiance of U.S. federal employees and job applicants to ensure that no individual with connections to subversive organizations could threaten national security. This initiative was a reaction to the pervasive fear of communist espionage and influence within the U.S. government, a concern that mirrored the broader anxieties of the early Cold War period.

Functions and Effects of the Loyalty Review Board

The Loyalty Review Board had a broad mandate that affected millions of lives. It reviewed the loyalty of nearly five million government employees from 1947 to 1953, resulting in about 2,700 dismissals and 12,000 resignations under suspicion of subversive activities. The Board's investigations, which were often criticized for their lack of concrete evidence, contributed to a culture of fear and suspicion that permeated American life during the Cold War, influencing public perceptions of loyalty and dissent.

The Practice of Blacklisting and Its Repercussions

The Loyalty Review Board's procedures included blacklisting, a practice that had significant social and political effects. Blacklisting meant designating individuals as security risks, which led to their exclusion from employment and ostracization from society. Those labeled as disloyal faced harsh consequences, including job loss and the stigma that made future employment difficult. This practice exacerbated the atmosphere of fear and mistrust prevalent during the Red Scare.

Social and Political Impact of the Loyalty Review Board

The Loyalty Review Board's activities had extensive social and political consequences. The climate of fear and suspicion it engendered caused people to be wary of their associations and speech, lest they be accused of disloyalty. Politically, the Board's existence and the associated blacklisting had a chilling effect on political expression, influencing political affiliations, electoral campaigns, and policy decisions. This contributed to the intensity of the ideological conflict during the Cold War and the period known as the Red Scare.

Enduring Influence of the Loyalty Review Board

The Loyalty Review Board was disbanded in 1953, but its influence persisted in American political and social life for decades. The Board's operations not only impacted individual careers but also shaped national policy and public attitudes toward loyalty and dissent. The legacy of the Board, with its emphasis on loyalty to the state and the conflation of dissent with disloyalty, continued to affect American political discourse and societal norms, making its study vital to understanding the historical and ongoing dynamics of the United States.