For much of the twentieth century, Chicago’s Police Surveillance Unit monitored and infiltrated allegedly subversive organizations and stored its discoveries in its secret Red Squad records. Because of the relaxation of the legal restrictions controlling access to those files, this event features stories that have not been available to the public until now, including records focusing on the ACLU, the National Organization for Women, and the National Presbyterian Church.

Keynote speaker Richard Gutman, an attorney who helped lead the legal fight against the Red Squad, historians, and organization members, address controversies surrounding the Red Squad’s records, including the constitutionality of surveillance and the subjective nature of the data collected.

To hear Part 1 of the symposium, click here.

Recorded live May 1 2013 at the Chicago History Museum.