jun 8, 1925 - Gitlow v New York
Description:
Benjamin Gitlow, a socialist living in New York, was an outspoken man who was charged with "criminal anarchy" for creating and distributing a document called the "Left Wing Manifesto". This closely followed the Red Scare, a deep fear of communism brought on partly by the Russian Revolution. Prior to the case, the Bill of Rights only applied to the federal government, leaving people like Gitlow at the mercy of state governments. The Court ruled that freedom of political speech applied to state governments as well, though other rights needed their own cases to be extended.Added to timeline:
Date:
jun 8, 1925
Now
~ 100 years ago