Books On Trial:Red Scare in the Heartland

By Shirley A. Wiegand and Wayne A. Wiegand

Sarah Benefield William DavidAmanda Graves Dana Littmann

Criminal Syndicalism

• Criminal syndicalism was introduced into law in Oklahoma in March of 1919.

• The bill for the law was initiated by Luther Harrison and was based on a law already in effect in Oregon.

Criminal Syndicalism

• Oklahoma’s criminal syndicalism law states that any person who prints, publishes, or knowingly circulates, sells, distributes, or publicly displays any books, pamphlets, or printed matter containing matter advocating, advising, affirmatively suggesting, or teaching criminal syndicalism is punishable with up to ten years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Criminal Syndicalism

• Likewise, anyone who organizes or becomes a member of or voluntarily assembles with any society or assemblage of persons which teaches, advocates, or affirmatively suggests the doctrine of criminal syndicalism was subject to the same punishment under the law.

Books on Trial

• Books on Trial recounts the raid of the Progressive Book Store in Oklahoma City, and the subsequent arrests of the proprietors and patrons present, as well as the raids on the homes of the proprietor and known affiliates.

Books on Trial

• The book also describes the trials of several of the arrested persons, as well as the appeals on the basis of the constitutionality of the criminal syndicalism law.

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