The Peace Information Center was a anti-war organization based in the United States which provided information on peace initiatives in other countries, and promoted the Stockholm appeal. The organization was in existence from April 3 to October 12, 1950. Members included O. John Rogge, W. E. B. Du Bois, John T. McManus, Paul Robeson, C. B. Baldwin, Albert E. Kahn, Johannes Steel, Gene Weltfish, Leon Strauss, Elizabeth Moos, Kyrle Elkin, Abbot Simon and Shirley Graham.[1]
W. E. B. Du Bois was a staunch opponent of nuclear weapons, and in 1950 he became chairman of the newly created Peace Information Center (PIC), which worked to publicize the Stockholm Peace Appeal in the United States.[2] The primary purpose of the appeal was to gather signatures on a petition, asking world governments to ban all nuclear weapons.[3] The U.S. Justice department alleged that the PIC was acting as an agent of the Soviet Union, and thus required the PIC to register with the federal government.[4] Du Bois and other PIC leaders refused, and they were indicted for failure to register.[5] Some of Du Bois's associates distanced themselves from him[6] and the NAACP refused to issue a statement of support,[7] but many leftists and labor figures, including Langston Hughes, supported Du Bois.[8] In late 1952, with defense attorney Vito Marcantonio arguing the case, the case was dismissed.[9] The federal government confiscated Du Bois's passport during the PIC trial, and even though he was not convicted, they withheld it for eight years, because Du Bois refused to sign a non-Communist affidavit.[10]