Annie Lee Moss was a middle-aged African American woman who was accused by Joseph McCarthy of being a Communist infiltrator in the Pentagon. She started as a US Army cafeteria worker and was promoted to a communications clerk in the Pentagon. Mary Stalcup Markward had for seven years been a member of the Washington, DC American Communist Party, and she was the director of the party's membership, but was working undercover for the FBI. Markward testified before McCarthy's committee that the name "Annie Lee Moss" of Washington, District of Columbia had been listed on the American Communist Party membership rolls. Whereas Markward's testimony was the only evidence presented that Moss was supposedly a member of the American Communist Party, there is no evidence that she was an active spy for Russia. An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black), is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... Joseph Raymond McCarthy Joseph Raymond McCarthy (November 14, 1908–May 2, 1957) was a Republican Senator from the U.S. state of Wisconsin between 1947 and 1957. ... Communism - Wikipedia /**/ @import /w/skins-1. ... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... Mary R. Stalcup Markward (February 10, 1922 – November 1972) was for seven years a member of the Washington, DC District Communist Party as director of the partys membership. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... The Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA) is one of several Marxist-Leninist groups in the United States. ... The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a Federal police force which is the principal investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). ... ... The Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA) is one of several Marxist-Leninist groups in the United States. ... The Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA) is one of several Marxist-Leninist groups in the United States. ...

Hearings

When asked about her knowledge of Karl Marx at a hearing in March of 1954, she replied, "Who’s that?". She testified that the copies of The Daily Worker that arrived at her house were sent to the wrong address, and that there was another "Anne Moss" in the Washington, DC phonebook. McCarthy excused himself from the hearings for the rest of her testimony. The Daily Worker was a newspaper published by the Communist Party USA, a Comintern affiliated organization in New York, beginning in 1924. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United...

Defense counsel

She was defended by Washington lawyer George Edward Chalmer Hayes, who was later the first African American to serve on the District of Columbia Public Utilities Commission. Official language(s) None Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Area  Ranked 18th  - Total 71,342 sq mi (184,824 km²)  - Width 240 miles (385 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 6. ... George E.C. Hayes, Thurgood Marshall, and James Nabrit, congratulating each other, following Supreme Court decision declaring segregation unconstitutional George Edward Chalmers Hayes (July 1, 1894 – December 20, 1968) was a Washington, DC lawyer who defended Annie Lee Moss, was the lead atorney in Bolling v. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black), is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ...

Case against Moss

• The Subversive Activities Control Board claimed in 1958 that the former address Moss had given in her testimony matched the address on the list the Board claimed was later acquired from the American Communist Party. The address was "72 R Street S.W.".

The Subversive Activities Control Board (SACB) was a United States government committee to investigate Communist infiltration of American society during the 1950s Red Scare. ... The Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA) is one of several Marxist-Leninist groups in the United States. ...

Case for Moss

• The 1930 US Census for Washington, DC lists an "Annie K. Moss" born in 1891, wife of Otto Moss. Since Annie Lee Moss had a different middle initial and was never married to an Otto Moss, this raises the possibility of mistaken identity.

• Ms. Moss was never afforded due process by an opportunity for herself to confront and cross-examine the witness against her, FBI agent Markward. However, several senators did confront Markward during her testimony and did speak out in Moss' defense.

• All of the evidence alleging Ms. Moss' ties to communism were hearsay and unsubstantiated by testimony from witnesses who were subject to cross-examination by the accused. The only person who testified (i.e., Markward) never herself produced the supposed list.

Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United...

Notes

• Ann Coulter; Treason: Liberal Treachery from the Cold War to the War on Terrorism. Anne claims that Annie Lee Moss was correctly identified by Joseph McCarthy as a Communist.
• Conservative media watchdog organization, Accuracy in Media, wrote: "[The] Subversive Activities Control Board presented solid evidence that Markward's testimony was true and that the Annie Lee Moss who appeared before the McCarthy committee was in fact a member of the Communist Party." [1]

Ann Coulter on the cover of her book Slander Ann Hart Coulter (born December 8, 1961) is a conservative American syndicated columnist, bestselling author, lawyer, and television pundit who frequently appears on the Fox News Channel. ... Joseph Raymond McCarthy Joseph Raymond McCarthy (November 14, 1908–May 2, 1957) was a Republican Senator from the U.S. state of Wisconsin between 1947 and 1957. ... Communism - Wikipedia /**/ @import /w/skins-1. ... Accuracy In Media (AIM) is an American organization which monitors the news media in the United States. ... The Subversive Activities Control Board (SACB) was a United States government committee to investigate Communist infiltration of American society during the 1950s Red Scare. ...

See also

• Milo Radulovich

Milo Radulovich was an American reserve Air Force lieutenant who was accused of being a communist in 1953. ...

Selected coverage in the New York Times

• New York Times; May 3, 1957. She Lost Job With Army as a Result of McCarthy Charge. Mrs. Annie Lee Moss, who temporarily lost her job because of Senator Joseph R. McCarthy, said tonight she was "sorry" to hear of his death.
• New York Times; January 20, 1955. Mrs. Moss Restored To a Job by Wilson. Charles E. Wilson restored Annie Lee Moss to an Army job today, but transferred her from the Pentagon.
• New York Times; August 25, 1954. Denial by Mrs. Moss; She Asks That Army Produce Those Who Called Her Red. Washington, DC, August 24, 1954. Mrs. Annie Lee Moss, again denying Communist ties, has asked the Army to produce her accusers at a security screening board hearing.
• New York Times; August 6, 1954. Mrs. Moss Is Accused As Card-Carrying Red. Washington, DC, August 5, 1954 (AP) -- A report that Annie Lee Moss was given a Communist party membership book for 1943 resulted in her suspension for a second time from her job with the Army Signal Corps.
• New York Times; August 5, 1954. Mrs. Moss ousted by Army again. Pentagon Reports New Data on Case of Employe Called Communist by McCarthy. Washington, DC, August 4, 1954 (UP) -- The Army suspended Mrs. Annie Lee Moss from her Pentagon job for the second time today pending final settlement of her security case.
• New York Times; March 12, 1954. Cohn Scored When Woman Denies McCarthy’s Charges; Mrs. Moss Counters Accusation As Red While Senators Decry 'Innuendo' -- Crowd Applauds Hearing Scene Red Denial Stirs McCarthy Session. Washington, DC, March 11, 1954 -- Mrs. Annie Lee Moss, suspended Army Signal Corps employe, softly but flatly denied all Communist party activities or membership today.
• New York Times; February 24, 1954. McCarthy Says Red Decodes Secrets, But Army Denies It; Senator Charges Woman Is Still In Key Job -- She Says She Never Was Communist FBI Ex-Aide Testifies Asserts Accused Was In Party -- Pentagon Insists She Had No Access To Vital Room McCarthy Accuses Employee Of Army. Washington, DC, February 24, 1954 -- Senator Joseph R. McCarthy engaged the Army today in another verbal duel over an alleged Communist in the Pentagon's Signal Corps communications center.

The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... May 3 is the 123rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (124th in leap years). ... 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... January 20 is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Charles Erwin Wilson (July 18, 1890 - September 26, 1961), American businessman and politician, was United States Secretary of Defense from 1953 to 1957 under President Eisenhower. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... August 25 is the 237th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (238th in leap years), with 128 days remaining. ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... August 24 is the 236th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (237th in leap years), with 129 days remaining. ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... August 6 is the 218th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (219th in leap years), with 147 days remaining. ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... August 5 is the 217th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (218th in leap years), with 148 days remaining. ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The U.S. Army Signal Corps was founded in 1861 by Major Albert J. Myer, a physician by training. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... August 5 is the 217th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (218th in leap years), with 148 days remaining. ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... August 4 is the 216th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (217th in leap years), with 149 days remaining. ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... March 12 is the 71st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (72nd in leap years). ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... March 11 is the 70th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (71st in Leap year). ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... February 24 is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a Federal police force which is the principal investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... February 24 is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Selected coverage in Time magazine

• Time (magazine), March 22, 1954. Early in his public feud with the Army last month, Joe McCarthy triumphantly charged that the Signal Corps had a Communist named Annie Lee Moss encoding and decoding "top-secret" messages in its Pentagon headquarters. Proof? He had the sworn testimony of a woman FBI agent. As usual, there were some pertinent facts that McCarthy did not mention: 1) Mrs. Moss, a 49-year-old Negro widow, had appeared before the House Un-American Activities Committee in closed session and under oath denied that she had ever been a member of the Communist Party, or had ever engaged in espionage; 2) she did not encode or decode anything, had no access to the Pentagon code room, and handled top-secret messages only in the form of scrambled and unreadable Teletype tape; 3) the FBI agent, while identifying her by name and address, had admittedly never seen her. When Mrs. Moss appeared to testify publicly, McCarthy waved her away. "We do have ... two witnesses who know that she had been ... a Communist ... a long time," he said. "[This] witness is of no importance." ... Three Annie Lees. The Democratic Senators managed to draw from Mrs. Moss the suggestion that her own identification as a Communist might be the result of the same sort of mixup. She testified that there were three Annie Lee Mosses living in the District of Columbia. But in the furor, no one questioned her on a pertinent point: the address she gave in getting Government employment was the same as that of an Annie Lee Moss known to FBI Undercover Woman Mary Markward as a Communist.

(Clockwise from upper left) Notable Time magazine covers from the dates May 7, 1945; July 25, 1969; December 31, 1999; September 14, 2001; and April 21, 2003. ... March 22 is the 81st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (82nd in Leap years). ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External link

• Human Events: Annie Lee Moss