Ep. 96 Who was Hayden C. Covington?

He brought 45 First Amendment cases to the United States Supreme
Court between 1939 and 1955. His success rate before the court
was second only to future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood
Marshall. He handled as many as 50 major cases a year and is
responsible for much of the First Amendment doctrine we take for
granted today. Who was this man — and why have most free speech
scholars and activists never heard of him?


On today’s episode of So to Speak: The Free Speech Podcast, we
discuss the life and legacy of Hayden C. Covington, who for many
years was legal counsel for the Jehovah’s Witnesses. We are
joined by distinguished First Amendment scholar and recurring So
to Speak guest Ronald K.L. Collins. Collins is the author of the
Florida International University Law Review article “Thoughts on
Hayden C. Covington and the Paucity of Litigation
Scholarship.” 


Show notes:


Podcast transcript

Video of podcast interview

“Thoughts on Hayden C. Covington and the Paucity of
Litigation Scholarship” by Ronald K.L. Collins

Cases discussed: Minersville School District v. Gobitis
(1940), Chaplinksy v. New Hampshire (1942), West Virginia State
Board of Education v. Barnette (1943), Virginia State Board of
Pharmacy v. Virginia Citizens Consumer Council (1976)

Ronald K.L. Collins’ First Amendment News

“First Things First: A Modern Coursebook on Free Speech
Fundamentals” by Ronald K.L. Collins, Will Creeley, and David
Hudson (managing editor, Jackie Farmer)

“We Must Not Be Afraid to Be Free: Stories of Free Expression
in America” by Ronald K.L Collins & Sam Chaltain



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