Dan Smoot
Howard Smoot, known as Dan Smoot (October 5, 1913 –July 24, 2003), was a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent and a conservative political activist. From 1957 to 1971, he published The Dan Smoot Report, which chronicled alleged communist infiltration in various sectors of American government and society.
Howard "Dan" Smoot | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | October 5, 1913 East Prairie, Missouri, U.S. |
| Died | July 24, 2003 (aged 89) Tyler, Texas, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Southern Methodist University Harvard University |
| Occupation(s) | Federal Bureau of Investigation agent Journalist; Conservative political activist |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse(s) | Mabeth Evans Smoot (divorced) Virginia McKnight Smoot (married 19??-1996; her death) |
| Children | Bernard Evans Smoot Lawrence Edward Smoot |
| Parent(s) | Bernie and Dora Allbright Smoot |
Background
Smoot was unsuccessful in his campaign for public office, but he rose to fame as a pundit on radio and television. He initially served as the spokesperson and face of H.L. Hunt's Facts Forum before leaving to create his own.[1]
Spreading his conservative message
In 1962, Smoot wrote The Invisible Government concerning early members of the Council on Foreign Relations. Other books include The Hope of the World; The Business End of Government; and his autobiography, People Along the Way. Additionally he was associated with Robert W. Welch, Jr.'s John Birch Society and wrote for the society's American Opinion bi-monthly magazine.[2][3]
In 1972, Smoot served as campaign manager for American Independent Party presidential candidate John G. Schmitz.
Books
- The Hope of the World (1958)
- The Invisible Government (1962)
- The Business End of Government (1973)
- People Along the Way: The Autobiography of Dan Smoot (1993)
References
- academic.oup.com https://academic.oup.com/chicago-scholarship-online/book/21460/chapter-abstract/181243010?redirectedFrom=fulltext. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - Smoot's autobiography and review by Jane Ingraham (1994)
- Peter B. Gemma (2000). "Dan Smoot: The Man and His Message". The New American. Archived from the original on June 5, 2016. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
Further reading
- Hendershot, Heather. What's Fair on the Air? Cold War Right-Wing Broadcasting and the Public Interest (University of Chicago Press; 2011) 260 pages; covers the rise and fall of prominent far-right radio hosts: H. L. Hunt, Dan Smoot, Carl McIntire, and Billy James Hargis.