Today in Labor History: Picketing declared unconstitutional

December 21, 2012 3:01 PM CDT By Special to People’s World

On this day in 1921 the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice William Howard Taft, declared that picketing was unconstitutional, claiming it was “an unlawful annoyance and hurtful nuisance.”

Taft was the 27th president. Taft served in the Supreme Court after his one-term presidency. Taft founded the Chamber of Commerce to counter the growing labor movement. Taft was an avid supporter of Booker T. Washington’s accommodationist policy.

Photo: Kheel Center, Cornell University // CC 2.0

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Special to People’s World

People’s World is a voice for progressive change and socialism in the United States. It provides news and analysis of, by, and for the labor and democratic movements to our readers across the country and around the world. People’s World traces its lineage to the Daily Worker newspaper, founded by communists, socialists, union members, and other activists in Chicago in 1924.