Congress. House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). Subversive Influences in Riots,
Looting, and Burning. Washington, D.C.: GPO, 1967, 1968.
Pt. 2: Subversive Influences in Riots, Looting, and Burning (October 31, November 1, 1967).
SuDoc No.: Y4.Un1/2:R47/pt.2
Date(s) of Hearings: October 31, November 1, 1967
Congress and Session: 90th - 1st
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This second part of the HUAC hearings includes testimony from an African-American undercover
police officer named Adolph Hart who had infiltrated the Progressive Labor Movement (PLM) in
Harlem prior to the 1964 Harlem riot. When asked about how well William Epton (member of the
PLM and "main suspect" of the HUAC investigations) represented the majority of
African-Americans, Hart replied,
"I can only say that Epton and people like him speak only for a small disillusioned
segment of the un-American misfits – rabblerousers, who would like to see America fall
into the hands of communism.
The responsible black man today wants a change, but he has enough faith in this country to
change it through the ballot, which he is doing every day. He has proven and continues to
prove his loyalty to this country – and in no uncertain terms – by this outstanding
record in Vietnam."
Also testifying before the committee was HUAC investigator Herbert Romerstein. Through his
testimony we are introduced to another man named Charles Kenyatta, of the "communist"
Mau Mau Society, who was also a target of the HUAC investigation into the riots.
It was noted that Charles Kenyatta attended an arraignment of people from the Revolutionary
Action Movement (RAM), which was founded by Robert F. Williams, in June of 1967 where he
answered questions from reporters about rumored plans to assassinate moderate civil rights
leaders Whitney Young of the National Urban League and Roy Wilkins of the NAACP. Kenyatta
responded, "Roy Wilkins can't go among his own people now. Whitney Young can't go among
his own people now. It would be a waste of time to kill them." When asked about Martin
Luther King, Kenyatta said, "The people are beginning to accept Martin Luther King since
he has changed." It is probably safe to assume that this "change" in Martin
Luther King that Kenyatta speaks of was in part due to his recent announcement against the
Vietnam War.
Kenyatta's Mau Mau Society also posted a flyer in Harlem that depicts Lyndon Johnson as
saying, "Niggers ain't dy'n fast 'nuff in Vietnam! But we'll do better in the
Mid-East!" was introduced into the record. Accompanying the picture is the caption,
"If we let him!!!" An apparent connection between American involvement in the
Vietnam War and the recent 6 Day War in the Middle East is seen by Kenyatta and his group.
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