Don Firth said, in part:

He didn't know that Seeger was going to refuse to testify.

But Seeger didn't refuse to testify. I've heard a recording of his testimony before the committee. What he did was, he refused to talk about other people. He was willing to testify about what he personally had done, and so forth. While he would testify to where and when he appeared, he would not characterize the organizations or name other attendees. He gave, or offered to give, names of the songs he sang, and (no doubt with tongue in cheek) offered to sing any of them for the committee. They didn't take him up on it.

He based his refusal to play the committee's gain on the First Amendment, as noted. He was charged with contempt of Congress and convicted, yes, but the conviction was set aside on appeal. He was within his rights, said the court.

Dave Oesterreich