RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES. . .

Anna Franz
we_accuse_front.jpg
Front cover

…50 years ago.

NEW YORK - Bill Epton stood before the court at his sentencing hearing and delivered the fiery speech “We accuse.” In it Epton, a community organizer, accused the government of violating his First Amendment rights and of committing crimes against humanity both at home and abroad. His political party published the speech a few days later and we recently acquired a copy.

Initially indicted by a grand jury for criminal anarchy, Epton was later convicted of “advocating” criminal anarchy and sentenced to a year in prison for every twelve counts found against him. This all happened because he and his lawyer led a protest march in defiance of a city-wide ban on demonstrations.

Why the protest? On July 16, 1964, an off-duty white police officer had shot and killed a 15-year old African-American boy in Harlem.


- ANNA FRANZ, Rare Book Fellow

Related News

Race, Slavery, & the Founders of Yale Law School An exhibition curated by Kathryn James and Fred Shapiro in Fall 2022 On view again this October 16...
Rare Books Blog
Did you know that the Yale Law Library is the archive of record for the Green Bag United States Supreme Court Bobblehead Collection? Don't miss the...
Rare Books Blog
~Arthur Corbin playing baseball in the annual Law Journal - Faculty game ~Presidential nominee Bill Clinton describing his first meeting with Hillary...