Historical/Biographical Note

Robert Gorham Davis (1908-1998), was a literary critic and a professor of English at Columbia University. He became a member of the Communist Party, but after the Hitler-Stalin pact of 1939, he grew disillusioned with Communism. In 1953, Mr. Davis testified before the House Committee on Un-American Activities, giving the names of some of his fellow Communists, after they had already been named in a secret session of the committee. Davis also served as chairman, and on the executive board of the American Committee for Cultural Freedom (ACCF) from 1953-1954, which was affiliated with the Congress for Cultural Freedom, an international organization. The ACCF was composed of prominent anti-communist artists and intellectuals, annd activities and programs on behalf of cultural freedom were generally informed by the staunch anti-communist orientation associated with the height of the Cold War period. At the height of its activities, scores of artists and intellectuals across a surprisingly broad political spectrum were involved with the Committee either as invited members, as participants in its numerous campaigns and programs, or as correspondents. The ACCF was subsequently learned to have accepted funds from the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.