Of all the 'third party' movements in American history, none have been as controversial as the Communist Party of the United States of America. Although denounced as a tool of the Soviet Union, accused of espionage and charged with advocating the revolutionary overthrow of the American government, before WWII it had been an accepted part of the political landscape. This collection offers an intriguing insight into this controversial political party in light of the Moscow archives that were made accessible after the end of the Cold War.

This collection of original essays explores new aspects in the history of American Communism, drawing on a range of documents from Moscow and Eastern Europe. Examining traditional subjects in the light of new evidence, the essays cover a range of topics including party leaders, espionage, campaigns against racism, the Spanish Civil War, communism and gender, the fate of members after the McCarthy era and ways in which Communists became Anti-Communists.

Vernon L. Pedersen is Professor of History and Head of the Department of International Studies at the American University of Sharjah, UAE. He is the author of The Communist Party of Maryland, 1919-1957 and the President of the Historians of American Communism (HOAC).

James G. Ryan is Professor of Liberal Studies at Texas A&M University, USA. He is the author of Earl Browder: The Failure of American Communism and Past President of HOAC.

Katherine A. S. Sibley is Professor of History and Director of American Studies at Saint Joseph's University, USA. She is the author of Red Spies in America: Stolen Secrets and the Dawn of the Cold War and a member of the Executive Council of HOAC.