Our committee has found that organized crime does operate on a syndicated basis across state lines in the United States. That is a much bigger, more sinister and a larger operation than we had ever suspected. That is having very devastating and bad influences upon our economy upon the morale of morals, of our people, and upon politics and government. And thanks for joining us for congress investigates an American History tv series looking back at historic and significant congressional hearings this week. Our focus is organized crime. Well, it was in the early 1950s that democrat senator Estes Kefauver of tennessee and his special committee in interrogated major organized crime figures like Frank Costello. The hearings held over a series of months, had 600 witnesses and went to 14 cities. Many americans learned details about organized crime for the first time in 1951. 12 million us households had tvs and this became a major and Early Television event. The hearings also made Estes Kefauv
Our committee has found that organized crime does operate on a syndicated basis across state lines in the United States. That is a much bigger, more sinister and a larger operation than we had ever suspected. That is having very devastating and bad influences upon our economy upon the morale of morals, of our people, and upon politics and government. And thanks for joining us for congress investigates an American History tv series looking back at historic and significant congressional hearings this week. Our focus is organized crime. Well, it was in the early 1950s that democrat senator Estes Kefauver of tennessee and his special committee in interrogated major organized crime figures like Frank Costello. The hearings held over a series of months, had 600 witnesses and went to 14 cities. Many americans learned details about organized crime for the first time in 1951. 12 million us households had tvs and this became a major and Early Television event. The hearings also made Estes Kefauv
Our committee has found that organized crime does operate on a syndicated basis across state lines in the United States. That is a much bigger, more sinister and a larger operation than we had ever suspected. That is having very devastating and bad influences upon our economy upon the morale of morals, of our people, and upon politics and government. And thanks for joining us for congress investigates an American History tv series looking back at historic and significant congressional hearings this week. Our focus is organized crime. Well, it was in the early 1950s that democrat senator Estes Kefauver of tennessee and his special committee in interrogated major organized crime figures like Frank Costello. The hearings held over a series of months, had 600 witnesses and went to 14 cities. Many americans learned details about organized crime for the first time in 1951. 12 million us households had tvs and this became a major and Early Television event. The hearings also made Estes Kefauv
Sinister and a larger operation than we had ever suspected. That is having very devastating and bad influences upon our economy upon the morale of morals, of our people, and upon politics and government. And thanks for joining us for congress investigates an American History tv series looking back at historic and significant congressional hearings this week. Our focus is organized crime. Well, it was in the early 1950s that democrat senator Estes Kefauver of tennessee and his special committee in interrogated major organized crime figures like Frank Costello. The hearings held over a series of months, had 600 witnesses and went to 14 cities. Many americans learned details about organized crime for the first time in 1951. 12 million us households had tvs and this became a major and Early Television event. The hearings also made Estes Kefauver a household name and helped fuel his political career. Here to talk about the work of the Kefauver Committee is daniel holt, associate u. S. Histo
Newspaper clippings documenting the history of organized crime in kansas city, from extortion, violence, syndicates, bootlegging, to the 26th year reign of the crime boss nick sabella, skimming casinos in las vegas, and bombing businesses. Whether we like it or not, organized crime is a part of our history. Moreover, it continues to capture our fascination as well as generate interest and new scholarship. Last year, the special Collections Department acquired a piece of our mafia passed when the organized crime files of the Kansas City Star work donated by former reporter mike mcgraw. These contain photos, notes, and reports on local mafia members and provide a glimpse of how reporters investigated the mob during its heyday. A story about the collection was featured in kcpts digital magazine, which included a short interview with retired fbi agent ouseley. They take a closer look at the gangland past. Mr. Ouseley is an authority on the kansas city gangland past. He spent two decades pr