The Free Speech League was a progressive organization in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

that fought to support

freedom of speech Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. The rights, right to freedom of expression has been r ...

in the early 20th century. The League focused on combating government censorship, particularly relating to political speech and sexual material. It was a predecessor of the

American Civil Liberties Union The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is an American nonprofit civil rights organization founded in 1920. ACLU affiliates are active in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The budget of the ACLU in 2024 was $383 million. T ...

History

The Free Speech League's main advocates included Edward Bliss Foote, his son Edward Bond Foote,

Emma Goldman Emma Goldman (June 27, 1869 – May 14, 1940) was a Russian-born Anarchism, anarchist revolutionary, political activist, and writer. She played a pivotal role in the development of anarchist political philosophy in North America and Europ ...

, and Theodore Schroeder. Other free speech advocates of the era included Ezra Heywood, Ben Reitman, Moses Harman, and D. M. Bennett. The League was formed in 1902. Two other members involved in the League's creation were Bob Robins and Lucy Robins Lang. In 1908, its goals were reported as "freedom of peaceable assembly, of discussion and of propaganda; an uncensored press, telegraph and telephone; an uninspected express; an inviolable mail." To achieve its goals, the League worked through the press, public speaking and the courts and felt that "the education of brains and quickening of consciences are first in order of time and effect." Its Secretary at the time was A. C. Pleydell of 175 Broadway in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. The League was officially incorporated on April 7, 1911, in

Albany, New York Albany ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It is located on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River. Albany is the oldes ...

.''The Twentieth century magazine, Volume 4'', p 274 Its charter included the goal "by all lawful means to oppose every form of government censorship over any method for the expression, communication or transmission of ideas... and to promote such legislative enactments and constitutional amendments, state and national, as will secure these ends." One of the primary targets of the League was the

Comstock Laws The Comstock Act of 1873 is a series of current provisions in federal law that generally criminalize the involvement of the United States Postal Service, its officers, or a common carrier in conveying obscene matter, crime-inciting matter, or c ...

. After the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, a social purity movement grew in strength and wasbaimed at outlawing

vice A vice is a practice, behaviour, Habit (psychology), habit or item generally considered morally wrong in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character trait, a defect, an infirmity, or a bad or unhe ...

in general and

prostitution Prostitution is a type of sex work that involves engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, no ...

and

obscenity An obscenity is any utterance or act that strongly offends the prevalent morality of the time. It is derived from the Latin , , "boding ill; disgusting; indecent", of uncertain etymology. Generally, the term can be used to indicate strong moral ...

in particular. Composed primarily of

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

moral reformers and middle-class women, the

Victorian-era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the reign of Queen Victoria, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. Slightly different definitions are sometimes used. The era followed th ...

campaign also attacked

contraception Birth control, also known as contraception, anticonception, and fertility control, is the use of methods or devices to prevent pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth control only be ...

, which was viewed as an

immoral Immorality is the violation of moral laws, norms or standards. It refers to an agent doing or thinking something they know or believe to be wrong. Immorality is normally applied to people or actions, or in a broader sense, it can be applied to gr ...

practice that promoted prostitution and

venereal disease A sexually transmitted infection (STI), also referred to as a sexually transmitted disease (STD) and the older term venereal disease (VD), is an infection that is spread by sexual activity, especially vaginal intercourse, anal sex, or ...

. A leader of the purity movement was

Anthony Comstock Anthony Comstock (; March7, 1844 – September21, 1915) was an American anti-vice activist, United States Postal Inspector, and secretary of the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice (NYSSV), who was dedicated to upholding Christian mo ...

, a

postal inspector Postal inspector may refer to: * The United States Postal Inspection Service (or USPIS), the law enforcement arm of the United States Postal Service * '' Postal Inspector'', a 1936 American film directed by Otto Brower See also * The Inspectors ...

who successfully lobbied for the passage of the 1873

Comstock Act The Comstock Act of 1873 is a series of current provisions in federal law that generally criminalize the involvement of the United States Postal Service, its officers, or a common carrier in conveying obscene matter, crime-inciting matter, or ce ...

, a federal law prohibiting mailing of any material deemed to be obscene or related to sex in any way. Many states also passed similar state laws, which were collectively known as the "Comstock Laws" and sometimes extended the federal law by outlawing the use and the distribution of contraceptives. Comstock was proud of being personally responsible for thousands of arrests and the destruction of hundreds of tons of books and pamphlets. When a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

anarchist,

John Turner John Napier Wyndham Turner (June 7, 1929September 19, 2020) was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 17th prime minister of Canada from June to September 1984. He served as leader of the Liberal Party and leader of the Opposit ...

, was arrested under the Anarchist Exclusion Act and threatened with deportation, Emma Goldman joined forces with the Free Speech League to champion his cause. The League enlisted the aid of

Clarence Darrow Clarence Seward Darrow (; April 18, 1857 – March 13, 1938) was an American lawyer who became famous in the 19th century for high-profile representations of trade union causes, and in the 20th century for several criminal matters, including the ...

and

Edgar Lee Masters Edgar Lee Masters (August 23, 1868 – March 5, 1950) was an American attorney, poet, biographer, and dramatist. He is the author of '' Spoon River Anthology'', ''The New Star Chamber and Other Essays'', ''Songs and Satires'', ''The Great V ...

, who took Turner's case to the

US Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all Federal tribunals in the United States, U.S. federal court cases, and over Stat ...

. Although Turner and the League lost, Goldman considered the Casablanca to be a victory of

propaganda Propaganda is communication that is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be selectively presenting facts to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded l ...

. She had returned to anarchist activism, but it was taking its toll on her. "I never felt so weighed down," she wrote to Berkman. "I fear I am forever doomed to remain public property and to have my life worn out through the care for the lives of others."

Margaret Sanger Margaret Sanger ( Higgins; September 14, 1879September 6, 1966) was an American birth control activist, sex educator, writer, and nurse. She opened the first birth control clinic in the United States, founded Planned Parenthood, and was instr ...

supported the cause of free speech throughout her career with a zeal comparable to her support for

birth control Birth control, also known as contraception, anticonception, and fertility control, is the use of methods or devices to prevent pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth control only be ...

. Sanger had grown up in a home in which the

agnostic Agnosticism is the view or belief that the existence of God, the divine, or the supernatural is either unknowable in principle or unknown in fact. (page 56 in 1967 edition) It can also mean an apathy towards such religious belief and refer to ...

and iconoclastic orator Robert Ingersoll was admired."The Child Who Was Mother to a Woman" from ''The New Yorker'', April 11, 1925, page 11. During the early years of her activism, Sanger viewed birth control primarily as a free speech issue, rather than a

feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideology, ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social gender equality, equality of the sexes. Feminism holds the position that modern soci ...

issue, and when she started publishing ''The Woman Rebel'' in 1914, she did so with the express goal of provoking a legal challenge to the Comstock Laws banning dissemination of information about contraception.McCann, Carole Ruth (2010), "Women as Leaders in the Contraceptive Movement", in ''Gender and Women's Leadership: A Reference Handbook'', Karen O'Connor (Ed), SAGE, ., pp 750–751. In

New York State New York, also called New York State, is a state in the northeastern United States. Bordered by New England to the east, Canada to the north, and Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the south, its territory extends into both the Atlantic Ocean and ...

, Emma Goldman introduced Sanger to members of the Free Speech League, such as Edward Bliss Foote and Theodore Schroeder, and the League later provided funding and advice to help Sanger with her legal battles. Around 1917 to 1919, the League gradually disbanded.Graber, p 54 Many of its members later joined the

Works by members

* Flower, Benjamin Orange; Schroeder, Theodore; Post, Louse, ''In Defense of Free Speech: Five Essays from the Arena'', 1908 *''Free Speech and the New Alien Law'', Press Bulletins No. 1 and No 2. December 1903. *Schroeder, Theodore, ''Freedom of the Press and 'Obscene' Literature: Three Essays''. 1906 *Schroeder, Theodore, ''Constructive Obscenity'', 1907 *Schroeder, Theodore, ''Our Vanishing Liberty of the Press'', 1907 *Schroeder, Theodore, ''The Scientific Aspect of Due Process Law and Constructive Crimes'', 1908. *Schroeder, Theodore, ''The Conflict Between Religious and Ethical Science'', 1909. *Schroeder, Theodore, (Ed.), ''Free Press Anthology'', Free Speech League, 1909. *Schroeder, Theodore, ''Constitutional free speech defined and defended in an unfinished argument in a case of blasphemy'', Free Speech League, 1919 * Wakeman, Thaddeus, ''Administrative Process of the Postal Department: A Letter to the President'', 1906.

Notes

References

*Engelman, Peter C. (2011), ''A History of the Birth Control Movement in America'', ABC-CLIO, . *Goldman, Emma, Candace Falk, Barry Pateman, Jessica M. Moran, ''Emma Goldman: Making speech free, 1902-1909'', (Anthology), University of California Press, 2004 *Graber, Mark A, ''Transforming Free Speech: The Ambiguous Legacy of Civil Libertarianism'', University of California Press, 1992 *Rabban, David M., ''Free speech in its forgotten years'', Cambridge University Press, 1999 *Wood, Janice Ruth, ''The struggle for free speech in the United States, 1872-1915: Edward Bliss Foote, Edward Bond Foote, and anti-Comstock operations'', Psychology Press, 2008 {{Authority control Freedom of speech Freedom of expression organizations Organizations established in 1902 Legal advocacy organizations in the United States