Bill of Rights Booklet Project Example Information Gregory v. Chicago

What is the Issue? Dick Gregory and other peaceful protesters were arrested and charged with “disorderly conduct” for protesting school segregation in Chicago.

Background of the Case People protesting school segregation in Chicago marched from City Hall to the Mayor’s house. The mayor’s neighborhood was an all-white area with a history of hostility towards blacks. An unfriendly neighborhood crowd gathered, attempting in various ways to harass the largely black protestors. They, in turn, were under strict orders by civil rights leaders to remain orderly and ‘nonviolent.’ Over several hours the neighborhood crowd grew from roughly 150 people to more than 1,000. Police made efforts to control the crowd, which became increasingly violent; hurling eggs, rocks and yelling racial slurs. Finally, the police made repeated requests that Gregory lead the marchers out of the neighborhood. Three marchers accepted the offer of a police escort. Those remaining, Gregory included, were then arrested and removed in police vans. Dick Gregory and the others were charged with disorderly conduct.

Who Are the Two Sides and What Are Their Positions? Dick Gregory and other protesters: they maintain that it is their right, according to the 1st Amendment of the Constitution, to organize and participate in protests of this nature. The city of Chicago: they maintain that the protesters were behaving in a “disorderly” way, causing conflict and endangering people, and were not protected by the 1st Amendment.

What Was the Outcome? What did the Supreme Court decide? Overturned the conviction, saying: The protesters were protected by the 1st amendment The protesters did not break any “time, place and manner” restrictions

What Precedent Did This Case Set? Established the “time, place and manner” precedent The gov’t CAN restrict free speech and protests based on what time it is, where you are, and how you are protesting.