McCarthy's Legacy

Following McCarthy's death in 1957, the Republican-dominated Wisconsin Senate said the U.S. Senator acted courageously in his struggle against Communism. Many historians and commentators, however, judge McCarthy unfavorably. They say McCarthy convinced millions of Americans to tolerate his unscrupulous crusade against domestic Communism. His reckless accusations damaged the careers of some leading public officials and undermined the morale of many government employees. He hurt American international prestige and made anti-Communism unpopular.

Many Americans in the early 1950s saw Communists as a danger to national security. In fighting that danger, they weighed the effectiveness of McCarthy's anti-Communist tactics and their impact on civil liberties. Debate about national security and citizen rights continues today in a new form. The terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and New York's World Trade Center towers started a new wave of anxiety.

Jean McCarthy (right), Senator Styles Bridges of New Hampshire (center right), and Judge Andrew Parnell (far right) watched as Marines unveiled McCarthy's bust, May 2, 1959 Courtesy of the Post Crescent Marines unveiled McCarthy's bust in the Outagamie County Courthouse lobby on May 2, 1959. It remains one of the only tributes to the late Senator in Appleton. Several County Supervisors had asked for the removal of the bust since the late 1980s. In 2001, Outagamie County donated the controversial bust to the Outagamie County Historical Society.


Following McCarthy's death in 1957, the Republican-dominated Wisconsin Senate said the U.S. Senator acted courageously in his struggle against Communism. Many historians and commentators, however, judge McCarthy unfavorably. They say McCarthy convinced millions of Americans to tolerate his unscrupulous crusade against domestic Communism. His reckless accusations damaged the careers of some leading public officials and undermined the morale of many government employees. He hurt American international prestige and made anti-Communism unpopular. Many Americans in the early 1950s saw Communists as a danger to national security. In fighting that danger, they weighed the effectiveness of McCarthy's anti-Communist tactics and their impact on civil liberties. Debate about national security and citizen rights continues today in a new form. The terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and New York's World Trade Center towers started a new wave of anxiety.