Eugene Dennis

Dennis v. United States Supreme Court Upholds Smith Act Convictions, Criminalizes Political Advocacy

| Importance: 8/10

On June 4, 1951, the United States Supreme Court ruled 6-2 in Dennis v. United States, upholding the convictions of eleven Communist Party leaders under the Smith Act of 1940. The decision effectively criminalized political advocacy, allowing prosecution for teaching or advocating revolutionary …

Fred Vinson U.S. Supreme Court Eugene Dennis Communist Party USA Department of Justice mccarthyism civil-liberties judicial first-amendment red-scare +1 more
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