Mary R. Stalcup Markward was for seven years a member of the Washington, DC "District Communist Party" as director of the party's membership. She was actually working undercover for the FBI.
Background
She was born as Mary R. Stalcup to Maria and Benjamin Stalcup on February 10, 1922. Benjamin Stalcup worked as a government bookbinder. Mary lived in Fairfax County, Virginia and was recruited by the FBI in 1943, just a week after her wedding. Her husband, George A. Markward, had been sent to Europe to fight in World War II.
Career
Markward was working in a beauty shop on Massachusetts Avenue. She may have been approached to spy because several of her clients were thought to be Communists by the FBI. Her daughter believed that her mother's essay written about her pride in being an American brought her to the attention of the FBI. The essay was published in a local Virginia paper. Markward worked undercover for almost seven years, a time that was stressful for her because she was shunned by friends and family because of her activities with the Party. After consulting earlier in the year with HUAC, the Party heard and expelled her in February 1951. Markward testified before the House Committee on Un-American Activities on July 11, 1951 that Annie Lee Moss, Maurice Braverman, and about 240 other people were Communist party members. She provided the names of their spouses and gave the exact dates of party meetings. While her memory of membership and Party activities was largely accurate, Markward did not provide evidence that the Communist Party had any strength in the DC area. At one point in her testimony, she even joked about the Party's inability to recruit young, new members. In the list of members she did provide, there appeared to be a connection between Party membership and civil rights activism; several people whom Markward accused were less involved with communism and more concerned with picketing segregated areas of the city. HUAC also questioned her in a manner to discredit the all-but-defeated the Progressive Party from the 1948 election:
Mr. Velde: As to the Communist Party connection with the Progressive Party, could you describe that briefly? Mrs. Markward: The Progressive Party? Mr. Velde: Yes. Was the Progressive Party infiltrated by the Communist Party after it was organized, or was the Communist Party responsible for the beginning of the Progressive Party organization? Mrs. Markward: I don't belieA'e the Progressive Party could have been organized without the energy and activity of various Communists in Maryland and the District of Columbia. They decided it was a desirable organization, and put everything they had to see that it was organized. Several committees, known as political action committees, were set up on city and district levels, and the people on those committees were to see that the Progressive Party did function. Mr. Velde: Did any of the funds of the Communist Party go into the campaign of the Progressive Party? Mrs. Markward:I don't knowone way or another. Mr. Velde: In Maryland? Mrs. Markward: I don't know.
Her accusation of Annie Lee Moss is the most remembered; Moss categorically denied membership or collusion with Communists. Moss claimed that she was a victim of mistaken identity; that she was not the only person in Washington named Annie Lee Moss, and the Communist Markward identified was a different Annie Lee Moss.
Later life
Mary Stalcup Markward contracted multiple sclerosis early in her life, which caused her to retire from the FBI. Later, FBI officials refused to acknowledge her, and retroactively taxed the income she received as an undercover agent. She died on November 23, 1972 in Silver Spring, Maryland at age 50. She was buried in Baltimore National Cemetery.
People named by Markward
On the stand on July 11, 1951, Markward would name or confirm names mentioned by HUAC, as follows:
Mr. Tavenner: Will you give us the names of those who served with you from time to time as members of the district board? Mrs. Markward:Al Lannon was the chairman while he was here. He was replaced by Phil Frankfeld...
Albert Blumberg was a member after he got active in the district, but he was assigned to a national activity and did not participate on a local level so much.
Maurice Braverman often attended the meetings of the board, particularly during election campaigns. He was particularly active with the political-action committee of the organization.
