HOME > First Amendment Library > Case   Southeastern Promotions, Ltd. v. Conrad (docket #: 73-1004) (1975)  [Findlaw] Argument Date 10/17/1974 Decided 3/18/1975 Supreme Court Vote 5-1-3 Supreme Court Ruling First Amendment claim upheld; proper safeguards were not in place to avoid censoring protected expression.   Issue Whether the denial of a city facility for a production of "Hair" because it contained "obscene" conduct constituted a prior restraint and violated the First Amendment. Majority Opinion Blackmun, J. Concurring Opinion Douglas, J. (dissenting in part and concurring in part) Dissenting Opinion White, J. (joined by Burger, C.J.) & Rehnquist, J. Lower Court 6th Circuit Lower Court Ruling First Amendment claim denied Lawyers For Petitioner Henry P. Monaghan For Respondent Randall L. Nelson Briefs For Amicus Irwin Karp for the Authors League of America, Inc. (for petitioner) News "Entangled 'Hair'," The Washington Post, Oct. 18, 1974, Sect. B, p. 5 "High Court Rejects Ban on Play 'Hair'," The Los Angeles Times, March 18, 1975, p. 1 Green, Wayne E., "Controversial Cases," The Wall Street Journal, Oct.4, 1974, p. 28 MacKenzie, John P., "Court Curbs Censoring of Live Theater," The Washington Post, March 19, 1975, Sect. A, p. 1 Mathews, Linda, "High Court Curbs Play Censorship," The Los Angeles Times, March 19, 1975, Sect. A, p. 1 Commentary "Freedom of Theater," The New York Times, March 23, 1975, p. 196  SEARCH MORE About this site About the First Amendment About the First Amendment Center How to contribute Video/RSS/podcasts First Amendment programs State of the First Amendment reports Religious liberty in public schools First Reports Supreme Court Columnists Experts First Amendment publications First Amendment Center history Glossary Freedom Sings™ Events First Amendment Schools Congressional Research Service reports Guest editorials FOI material The First Amendment Library Lesson plans freedomforum.org Newseum Contact us Privacy statement Related links