New York Society for the Suppression of Vice

New York Society for the Suppression of Vice
AbbreviationNYSSV or SSV
FoundedMay 1873 (1873-05)
FounderAnthony Comstock
Dissolved1950 (1950)

The New York Society for the Suppression of Vice (NYSSV or SSV) was an institution dedicated to supervising the morality of the public, founded in 1873. Its specific mission was to monitor compliance with state laws and work with the courts and district attorneys in bringing offenders to justice. It and its members also pushed for additional laws against perceived immoral conduct. While the NYSSV is better remembered for its opposition to literary works, it also closely monitored the newsstands, commonly found on city sidewalks and in transportation terminals, which sold the popular newspapers and periodicals of the day.