ABSTRACT
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) already had a lot of experience with programming cultural activities abroad, developed since World War II in collaboration with the civil service, especially in the Office of Inter-American Affairs. Ever since Senator McCarthy had launched his campaign to persecute leftist intellectuals and artists, the federal government carefully avoided funding any art initiative in America contravening conservative values. However, the international role of the United States as the defender-of-freedom which they tried to propagate at the height of the Cold War, made it worthwhile for them politically to put all kinds of cultural products on tour overseas, including the most rebellious and innovative. Since the international exhibitions of the federal agency, USIA, were on the decline because of the opposition of reactionary members of Congress, Porter A. McCray wanted the MoMA to collaborate with a diversity of museums and foundations in order to receive other funds.
