The February 1969 edition of the Free Press Underground featured a controversial cartoon on its cover. MU Student Barbara Papish was arrested and expelled for passing it out on campus.
Courtesy of Sandy Davidson
Show Me The State: Barbara Papish
In 1969, graduate student Barbara Papish hands out an underground newspaper on the University of Missouri Columbia campus. The Free Press Underground issue features a cartoon on the cover depicting police officers raping the Statue of Liberty and Lady Justice. The words “With Liberty and Justice For All” encircle the image.
University of Missouri leaders are not happy about the controversial image. Barbara is arrested and quickly expelled for not following “generally accepted standards of conduct” by students.
That’s not the last they hear from her, though. Barbara fights back for her free speech rights on campus and ends up challenging the university all the way up to the Supreme Court. The repercussions set a precedent still followed today.
*Editorial note: Paul Wallace who is featured in this episode died before publication. Listen to the episode.
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