National Association for the Advancement of Colored People v. Button

371 U.S. 415 · Decided January 14, 1963 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People v. Button was decided on January 14, 1963 by a vote of 6–3. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice William J. Brennan Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “First Amendment, miscellaneous” in the First Amendment area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.

Read the opinion

• CourtListener (Free Law Project) — opinion text
• Library of Congress — official U.S. Reports scan

Case details

How the Justices voted

Full case caption

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People v. Button, Attorney General of Virginia, et al.

SCDB identifiers: case 1962-032, docket 1962-032-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “First Amendment, miscellaneous”

• Gibson v. Florida Legislative Investigation Committee
  372 U.S. 539Decided March 25, 19635–4Arthur J. Goldberg
• Wood v. Georgia
  370 U.S. 375Decided June 25, 19625–2Earl Warren
• Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen v. Virginia ex Rel. Virginia State Bar
  377 U.S. 1Decided April 20, 19646–2Hugo L. Black
• National Association for the Advancement of Colored People v. Alabama ex Rel. Flowers
  377 U.S. 288Decided June 1, 19649–0John M. Harlan II
• Lathrop v. Donohue
  367 U.S. 820Decided June 19, 19617–2William J. Brennan Jr.
• Louisiana ex Rel. Gremillion v. National Association for the Advancement of Colored PeopleLaw held unconstitutional
  366 U.S. 293Decided May 22, 19619–0William O. Douglas

See all

Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)

• Bantam Books, Inc. v. Sullivan
  372 U.S. 58Decided February 18, 19638–1William J. Brennan Jr.
• Edwards v. South Carolina
  372 U.S. 229Decided February 25, 19638–1Potter Stewart
• New York Times Co. v. SullivanLaw held unconstitutional
  376 U.S. 254Decided March 9, 19649–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• Jacobellis v. Ohio
  378 U.S. 184Decided June 22, 19646–3William J. Brennan Jr.
• A Quantity of Copies of Books v. KansasLaw held unconstitutional
  378 U.S. 205Decided June 22, 19647–2William J. Brennan Jr.
• Garrison v. LouisianaLaw held unconstitutional
  379 U.S. 64Decided November 23, 19649–0William J. Brennan Jr.

Same Term, same area (First Amendment)

• Arlan's Department Store of Louisville, Inc. v. Kentucky
  371 U.S. 218Decided December 17, 19628–1Per curiam
• Bantam Books, Inc. v. Sullivan
  372 U.S. 58Decided February 18, 19638–1William J. Brennan Jr.
• Edwards v. South Carolina
  372 U.S. 229Decided February 25, 19638–1Potter Stewart
• Fields v. South Carolina
  372 U.S. 522Decided March 18, 19638–1Per curiam
• Gibson v. Florida Legislative Investigation Committee
  372 U.S. 539Decided March 25, 19635–4Arthur J. Goldberg
• Wheeldin v. Wheeler
  373 U.S. 647Decided June 3, 19636–3William O. Douglas

See all

Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error