Certain prodromes of his later position were observable early on. He took the floor of the 1969 American Historical Association Convention to argue *against* a resolution condemning the Vietnam War. He joined J. K. Fairbank and was opposed by Howard Zinn and Staughton Lynd. --CGE
More on Eugene, "Put Them Down!, " Genovese...The Novick book is a great read. Full of archival material.
On the MLA, also see Richard Ohrmann (?), Radicalism and English."(?) Michael Pugliese
At the American Historical Association convention in 1969, Staughton Lynd and Eugene Genovese engaged in a shouting match at the business meeting and wrestled for control of the microphone as they vied for the chance to represent the radicals. Ultimately, all the radical proposals lost..
20. Minutes of Executive Council Meeting, 31 Oct. 1969, Toledo, Ohio, ASA MSS, LC. On the turmoil within the American Historical Association, see Peter Novick, That Noble Dream: The 'Objectivity Question ' and the American Historical Profession (New York, 1988), 434ff. On the Modern Language Association, see Edward E. Ericson, Jr., Radicals in the University (Stanford, 1975).