United States v. One Book Called Ulysses
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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United States v. One Book Called Ulysses was a 1933 case in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York dealing with free speech. At issue was whether James Joyce's novel Ulysses was obscene. In deciding it was not, Judge John M. Woolsey opened the door to importation and publication of serious works of literature, even when they used coarse language or involved sexual subjects.
On 6 December 1933, Judge John M. Woolsey overturned the federal ban on James Joyce's Ulysses. The book was banned in the U.S. due to what the government claimed was obscenity, specifically the (approximately) 90-page sex scene, depending on the version. Random House Inc. came to the United States District Court to battle the claim of obscenity and be granted permission to print the book in the United States. Judge Woolsey is often quoted explaining his removal of the ban by saying "It is only with the normal person that the law is concerned."