WIST

Citizenship is no light trifle to be jeopardized any moment Congress decides to do so under the name of one of its general or implied grants of power.

Justice Hugo Black (1886-1971) US Supreme Court Justice (1937-71)
Afroyim v. Rusk, 387 U.S. 267–68 (1967)

The First Amendment has erected a wall between church and state. That wall must be kept high and impregnable. We could not approve the slightest breach.

Justice Hugo Black (1886-1971) US Supreme Court Justice (1937-71)
Everson v. Board of Education, 330 U.S. (majority opinion) (1947)

The “establishment of religion” clause of the First Amendment means at least this: Neither a state nor the Federal Government can set up a church. Neither can pass laws which aid one religion, aid all religions, or prefer one religion over another. Neither can force nor influence a person to go to or to remain away from church against his will or force him to profess a belief or disbelief in any religion. No person can be punished for entertaining or professing religious beliefs or disbeliefs, for church attendance or non-attendance. No tax in any amount, large or small, can be levied to support any religious activities or institutions, whatever they may be called, or whatever from they may adopt to teach or practice religion. Neither a state nor the Federal Government can, openly or secretly, participate in the affairs of any religious organizations or groups and vice versa. In the words of Jefferson, the clause against establishment of religion by law was intended to erect “a wall of separation between Church and State.”

Justice Hugo Black (1886-1971) US Supreme Court Justice (1937-71)
Everson v. Board of Education, 330 U.S. 1, Majority Opinion (1947)

I think most Americans do not understand the Constitution. It’s all because each one of them believes that the Constitution prohibits that which they think should be prohibited, and permits that which they think should be permitted.

Justice Hugo Black (1886-1971) US Supreme Court Justice (1937-71)
Newsweek, interview (9 Dec 1968)

An unconditional right to say what one pleases about public affairs is what I consider to be the minimum guarantee of the First Amendment.

Justice Hugo Black (1886-1971) US Supreme Court Justice (1937-71)
NY Times Co v Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254 (concurring opinion) (1964)

The Framers [of the Constitution] knew that free speech is the friend of change and revolution. But they also knew that it is always the deadliest enemy of tyranny.

Justice Hugo Black (1886-1971) US Supreme Court Justice (1937-71)
Address at the New York University School of Law (1960)

The Founding Fathers gave the free press the protection it must have [to] bare the secrets of government and inform the people.

Justice Hugo Black (1886-1971) US Supreme Court Justice (1937-71)
Comment, New York Times (30 Jun 1971)
On the publication of the Pentagon Papers.

In revealing the workings of government that led to the Vietnam War, the newspapers nobly did precisely that which the Founders hoped and trusted they would do.

Justice Hugo Black (1886-1971) US Supreme Court Justice (1937-71)
Concurring opinion, New York Times Co. v. United States, 403 U.S. 713 (1971) (30 Jun 1971)

My view is, without deviation, without exception, without ifs, buts or whereases, that freedom of speech means that you shall not do something to people either for the views they have or the views they express or the words they speak or write.

Justice Hugo Black (1886-1971) US Supreme Court Justice (1937-71)
News conference in New York (1962)

The layman’s constitutional view is that what he likes is constitutional and that which he doesn’t like is unconstitutional.

Justice Hugo Black (1886-1971) US Supreme Court Justice (1937-71)
Quoted in NY Times (26 Feb 1971)