On November 24, 1953, this letter was sent to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary Special Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency by Eugenia Genovar. Genovar wrote to express her support for banning comic books (like the one shown above), which were then being investigated by the subcommittee to determine if a relationship existed between juvenile violence, crime, and media such as television and comic books.

Letter from Eugenia Y. Genovar Regarding Comic Book Censorship, 11/24/1953, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 6120051)

Fight Against Crime No. 19, 5/1954, Records of the U.S. Senate

todaysdocument: First Issue of “Mad Magazine”, 10/1952 Happy birthday, Harvey Kurtzman and Mad Magazine! In October 1952, the very first issue of a new comic called “Mad” was issued, written almost entirely by Kurtzman. It soon came under Senate investigation (thus entering the records of the National Archives), which led to the comic book being transformed into the magazine still going strong today. One of these early issues of Mad is on display in the Archives’ permanent exhibit, The Public Vaults, in Washington, DC. (via National Archives Foundation on Facebook) More records from the Senate Judiciary Committee Special Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency! First issue of Mad Magazine, 10/1952, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 595430)
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First Issue of “Mad Magazine”, 10/1952

Happy birthday, Harvey Kurtzman and Mad Magazine! In October 1952, the very first issue of a new comic called “Mad” was issued, written almost entirely by Kurtzman. It soon came under Senate investigation (thus entering the records of the National Archives), which led to the comic book being transformed into the magazine still going strong today. 

One of these early issues of Mad is on display in the Archives’ permanent exhibit, The Public Vaults, in Washington, DC.

(via National Archives Foundation on Facebook)

More records from the Senate Judiciary Committee Special Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency!

First issue of Mad Magazine, 10/1952, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 595430)

todaysdocument: Chart Showing a Day of Television Programming in Chicago, 09/16/1954 An exhibit from the Senate Judiciary Special Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency during its investigation on the effect of television programming on juvenile delinquency. Check out one of our records that was feature on Today’ s Document today!!
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todaysdocument:

Chart Showing a Day of Television Programming in Chicago, 09/16/1954

An exhibit from the Senate Judiciary Special Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency during its investigation on the effect of television programming on juvenile delinquency.

Check out one of our records that was feature on Today’ s Document today!!