George Anastaplo

George Anastaplo
Anastaplo c. 1985
Born(1925-11-07)November 7, 1925
DiedFebruary 14, 2014(2014-02-14) (aged 88)
Occupation(s)Professor and author
Known forSupreme Court case, In re Anastaplo

George Anastaplo (November 7, 1925 – February 14, 2014)[1] was a professor at Loyola University Chicago School of Law and author who was famously denied admission for many years to the Illinois Bar. The denial of his admission became a Supreme Court case, In re Anastaplo, in which he insisted that the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects the privacy of political affiliations, specifically, his refusal to answer questions about membership in the Communist Party. Anastaplo's stand was based on constitutional principles and his consequent rejection of McCarthyism, and nobody alleged that he had been a member of the Communist Party. The Supreme Court's majority upheld the lower courts' ruling in favor of the Illinois Bar, with Justice Hugo Black dissenting. After his Supreme Court case and denial of admission to the Bar, Anastaplo supported his family by teaching at the University of Chicago and other universities and colleges. He wrote many articles and books on philosophy, many of which acknowledged the influence of his teacher, Leo Strauss.[2][3]

  1. ^ "Storied law professor George Anastaplo dies". Hyde Park Herald. February 19, 2014. Archived from the original on March 12, 2014. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
  2. ^ "University of Chicago Magazine Profile of George Anastaplo '51". University of Chicago Magazine. April 13, 2012. Archived from the original on February 21, 2015. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
  3. ^ Mertens, Richard (April 12, 2012). "One Door Closes". University of Chicago Magazine.