Question

What was the blacklist? What did political witch-hunts result in these lists?

Answer 1

The blacklist shattered the careers of the entertainment figures who were on it

Answer 2

The Hollywood blacklist—as the broader entertainment industry blacklist is generally known—was the practice of denying employment to screenwriters, actors, directors, musicians, and other American entertainment professionals during the mid-20th century because they were accused of havingCommunist ties or sympathies
someone accused of being a communist/communist sympathizer, asked to account both their own and others communist activities, couldnt get work-known for being communist, lives were ruined