Gus Hall: The American Bolshevik

The longtime leader of the American Communist Party who spent years in prison for his political beliefs during the Red Scare.

• Smith Act (1948): Indicted for conspiring to teach the overthrow of the U.S. government by force, he was sentenced to 5 years in prison.
• The Escape (1951): While out on bail, he fled to Mexico to avoid prison but was captured by authorities and returned to the U.S.
• Leavenworth: He served over eight years in Leavenworth Penitentiary before becoming the General Secretary of the CPUSA.