Nathan Aleskovsky
Encyclopedia
Nathan Aleskovsky was an employee of The New York Times
in the 1950s. He worked as an assistant to the editor of the New York Times Book Review. In January 1956 he was forced to testify before the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee, chaired by James O. Eastland, after being fingered in fellow journalist Winston Burdett
's testimony. Aleskovsky had worked for the Times for five years at the time he was subpoena
ed in November 1955.
When Aleskovsky was asked by the committee if he was a Communist he denied "now being a Communist". He refused to say if he had ever belonged to the Party. The New York Times asked for and received Aleskovsky's resignation prior to the hearing. Of the 26 subpoenas that came down in November 1955 for the January 1956 hearings 26 of them went to past or present New York Times employees, Aleskovsky was among six who cited the Fifth Amendment as protection from answering the subcommittee's questions.
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
in the 1950s. He worked as an assistant to the editor of the New York Times Book Review. In January 1956 he was forced to testify before the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee, chaired by James O. Eastland, after being fingered in fellow journalist Winston Burdett
Winston Burdett
Winston Burdett was an American broadcast journalist and correspondent for the CBS Radio Network during World War II and later for CBS television news. He was born in Buffalo, New York. From 1937-1942 he was involved with the Communist Party...
's testimony. Aleskovsky had worked for the Times for five years at the time he was subpoena
Subpoena
A subpoena is a writ by a government agency, most often a court, that has authority to compel testimony by a witness or production of evidence under a penalty for failure. There are two common types of subpoena:...
ed in November 1955.
When Aleskovsky was asked by the committee if he was a Communist he denied "now being a Communist". He refused to say if he had ever belonged to the Party. The New York Times asked for and received Aleskovsky's resignation prior to the hearing. Of the 26 subpoenas that came down in November 1955 for the January 1956 hearings 26 of them went to past or present New York Times employees, Aleskovsky was among six who cited the Fifth Amendment as protection from answering the subcommittee's questions.