Before he attained notoriety as Dean of the Hollywood Ten?the blacklisted screenwriters and directors persecuted because of their varying ties to the Communist Party?John Howard Lawson had become one of the most brilliant, successful, and intellectual screenwriters on the Hollywood scene in the 1930s and 1940s, with several hits to his credit including Blockade, Sahara, and Action in the North Atlantic. After his infamous, almost violent, 1947 hearing before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), Lawson spent time in prison and his career was effectively over. Noted author Gerald Horne has now written the first biography ever available on Lawson, based on previously untapped archives, including those of the Southern California Library. On Saturday, August 19, 2006, at 2 p.m., Horne will discuss the book, and the implications of this period of U.S. history, especially pertinent with the reauthorization of the Patriot Act this year and increasing restrictions on civil liberties. The event will take place at the Southern California Library, 6120 S. Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles. Admission is free. For more information, go to www.socallib.org or call (323) 759-6063.
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