NAACP v. ALABAMA

1
NAACP v. ALABAMA

• National Association for the Advancement of
  Colored People
• 1st amendment case
• 1958

2
Case Facts

• -The NAACP was a non-profit organization designed
  for advancing the welfare of negroes.
• -They angered the state by playing a role in the
  Montgomery Bus Boycott and in funding and
  providing legal assistance for black students.
• -In order to prevent future activities and
  ultimately shut down the organization, Alabama
  state brought a suit against the NAACP, stating
  that their activities were causing irreparable
  injury to the peoples property and civil
  rights.
• -The state ordered the corporation to cease
  further activities and issued a restraining
  order.
• -Under the states order, the court demanded the
  records of the NAACP, along with a list of its
  members names and residence.

Lead attorney (Representing NAACP) Robert L.
Carter
3
Arguments

• When the NAACP did not surrender the names and
  addresses of its members the association was held
  in contempt and was fined 10,000.
• Robert L. Carter tried to dissolve the order of
  the court by arguing that the states suit was
  intended to violate the NAACPs freedom of speech
  and of assembly as protected in the Constitution.
• He tried to get the contempt judgment to be
  dismissed but Alabama case law said a petitioner
  could not request a hearing or to dissolve an
  order until it proved itself of contempt.
• The case was taken to the United States supreme
  court who reversed the contempt judgment, however
  the Alabama supreme court reinstated the
  contempt.
• The Alabama state circuit took over the case but
  did not listen to the NAACPs appeals on
  constitutional grounds and decided that the
  organization violated Alabama law and ordered it
  to end business in the state.
• The case was heard four times by the U.S. Supreme
  Court, before a certiorari was granted

4

• The Verdict

• Justice John Marshall Harlan II, delivered the
  Supreme Courts opinion. The Supreme Court decided
  that the state of Alabamas requests were a
  violation of the protection of the 14th
  amendment, the Due Process Clause.
• Freedom to engage in association for the
  advancement of ideas and beliefs is an
  inseparable part of the liberty protected by
  the Due Process Clause.
• The court recognized the significance of the
  relationship between freedom to associate and
  privacy in ones association.
• They decided that the action of obtaining the
  names of the NAACPs members by the state of
  Alabama, would interfere with the free
  association of its members and violated
  constitutional rights of the petitioners, the 1st
  amendment.
• Also the Supreme court said that the sate failed
  to justify their case against the NAACP.
• This case was an example of the state abusing
  power and trying to suppress the rights of its
  citizens for reasons not justified. the state of
  Alabama tried to monitor and control the actions
  and privacy of the organization.