bates little rock argued november decided february petitioners custodians records local branches national association advancement colored people tried convicted fined violating identical occupational license tax ordinances two arkansas cities refusing furnish city officials lists names members local branches association held record case compulsory disclosure membership lists work unjustified interference members freedom association protected due process clause fourteenth amendment invasion convictions reversed pp beyond dispute freedom association purpose advancing ideas airing grievances protected due process clause fourteenth amendment invasion pp record case sufficiently appears compulsory disclosure membership lists local branches association work significant interference freedom association members pp cities instrumentalities state demonstrated cogent interest obtaining making public membership lists organizations justify substantial abridgment associational freedom disclosures effect since record discloses relevant correlation power municipalities impose occupational license taxes compulsory disclosure publication membership lists pp robert carter argued cause petitioners brief george howard joseph kemp argued cause city little rock respondent brief richard crockett justice stewart delivered opinion petitioners convicted violating identical ordinance arkansas municipality refusing demand furnish city officials list names members local branch national association advancement colored people question decision whether convictions stand due process clause fourteenth amendment constitution municipalities arkansas authorized state levy license tax person firm individual corporation engaging trade business profession vocation calling within corporate limits pursuant authority city little rock city north little rock years imposed annual license taxes broad variety businesses occupations professions charitable organizations engage activities affected relieved paying taxes two cities added identical amendments occupation license tax ordinances amendments require organization operating within municipality question must supply city clerk upon request within specified time official name organization headquarters regular meeting place names officers agents servants employees representatives salaries purpose organization statement dues assessments contributions paid paid together statement reflecting disposition funds total net income affidavit stating whether organization subordinate parent organization latter name ordinances expressly provide information furnished shall public subject inspection interested party reasonable business hours petitioner bates custodian records local branch national association advancement colored people little rock petitioner williams custodian records north little rock branch local organizations supplied two municipalities information required ordinances except demanded ordinance required disclosure names organizations members contributors instead furnishing detailed breakdown required section north little rock ordinance petitioner williams wrote city clerk follows financial statement follows january december total receipts membership contributors total expenditures national office secretarial help stationery stamps etc total hand attaching affidavit president indicating branch national association advancement colored people new york corporation give information respect names addresses members contributors information may lead ascertainment information base refusal climate state good faith belief public disclosure names members contributors might lead harassment economic reprisals even bodily harm moreover even aside possibility advised counsel believe city right constitution laws constitution laws state arkansas demand names addresses members contributors assert behalf organization members right contribute naacp seek aegis accomplish aims purposes herein described free restraints interference city state officials addition assert right members contributors participate activities naacp anonymously right recognized basic right every american citizen since founding country refusing upon demand submit names members organization petitioner tried convicted fined violation ordinance respective municipality bates trial evidence offered show many former members local organization declined renew membership existence ordinance question similar evidence received williams trial well evidence publicly identified community members national association advancement colored people subjected harassment threats bodily harm appeal cases consolidated arkansas two justices dissenting convictions upheld ark concluded compulsory disclosure membership lists circumstances unconstitutional invasion freedoms guaranteed mere incident permissible legal result significant constitutional question involved granted certiorari like freedom speech free press right peaceable assembly considered framers constitution lie foundation government based upon consent informed citizenry government dedicated establishment justice preservation liberty amend beyond dispute freedom association purpose advancing ideas airing grievances protected due process clause fourteenth amendment invasion de jonge oregon alabama freedoms protected frontal attack also stifled subtle governmental interference grosjean american press murdock pennsylvania american communications assn douds alabama supra smith california hardly novel perception compelled disclosure affiliation groups engaged advocacy may constitute effective restraint freedom association recognized vital relationship freedom associate privacy one associations inviolability privacy group association may many circumstances indispensable preservation freedom association particularly group espouses dissident beliefs alabama record sufficiently appears compulsory disclosure membership lists local branches national association advancement colored people work significant interference freedom association members substantial uncontroverted evidence public identification persons community members organizations followed harassment threats bodily harm also evidence fear community hostility economic reprisals follow public disclosure membership lists discouraged new members joining organizations induced former members withdraw repressive effect part result private attitudes pressures brought bear exercise governmental power threatened force disclosure members names alabama thus threat substantial government encroachment upon important traditional aspects individual freedom neither speculative remote decision case must finally turn therefore whether cities instrumentalities state demonstrated cogent interest obtaining making public membership lists organizations justify substantial abridgment associational freedom disclosures effect significant encroachment upon personal liberty state may prevail upon showing subordinating interest compelling alabama see also jacobson massachusetts schneider state cox new hampshire murdock pennsylvania prince massachusetts kovacs cooper questioned governmental purpose upon municipalities rely fundamental one power basic ultimate purpose function government power tax see james dravo contracting doubted proper efficient exercise essential governmental power may sometimes entail possibility encroachment upon individual freedom see kahriger hubbard mellon app adjunct power impose occupational license taxes cities enacted legislation question governmental action automatically become reasonably related achievement legitimate substantial governmental purpose mere assertion preamble ordinance shown state action threatens significantly impinge upon constitutionally protected freedom becomes duty determine whether action bears reasonable relationship achievement governmental purpose asserted justification record find relevant correlation power municipalities impose occupational license taxes compulsory disclosure publication membership lists local branches national association advancement colored people occupational license tax ordinances municipalities squarely aimed reaching commercial professional business occupations within communities taxes matter state law based earnings income upon nature occupation enterprise conducted inquiry organizations within communities purpose nature activities thus appear entirely relevant enforcement ordinances inquiry addressed organizations answered follows affiliate national organization seeking secure american negroes rights guaranteed constitution purposes may best described quoting articles incorporation national organization purposes set forth voluntarily promote equality rights eradicate caste race prejudice among citizens advance interest colored citizens secure impartial suffrage increase opportunities securing justice courts education children employment according ability complete equality law ascertain publish facts bearing upon subjects take lawful action thereon together kind things may lawfully done membership corporation organized laws state new york advancement objects articles incorporation hereinabove referred file office secretary state state arkansas accord purposes aims branch naacp chartered organized seeking effectuate principles within municipality sum complete failure record show organizations engaged occupation license required even occupation conducted profit cities ever asserted claim organizations payment occupational license tax organizations ever asserted exemption tax imposed municipalities either alleged nonprofit character reason conclude municipalities failed demonstrate controlling justification deterrence free association compulsory disclosure membership lists cause petitioners punished refusing produce information municipalities constitutionally require judgments stand reversed footnotes little rock ord north little rock ord ordinances amended numerous times adding various businesses occupations professions licensed changing rates taxes imposed pertinent provisions ordinances follows whereas found determined certain organizations within city claiming immunity terms ordinance governing payment occupation licenses levied privilege business within city upon premise organizations benevolent charitable mutual benefit fraternal whereas many organizations claiming occupation license exemption mere subterfuges businesses operated profit subject occupation license ordinance therefore ordained city council city section word organization used herein means group individuals whether incorporated unincorporated section organization operating functioning within city including limited civic fraternal political mutual benefit legal medical trade organization upon request mayor alderman member board directors city clerk city collector city attorney shall list city clerk following information within days request submitted official name organization office place business headquarters usual meeting place organization officers agents servants employees representatives organization salaries paid purpose purposes organization financial statement organization including dues fees assessments contributions paid paid date thereof together statement reflecting disposition sums paid together total net income organization affidavit president officiating officer organization stating whether organization subordinate parent organization name parent organization section ordinance shall cumulative ordinances heretofore passed city reference occupation licenses collection thereof section information obtained pursuant ordinance shall deemed public subject inspection interested party reasonable business hours section section part ordinance declared unconstitutional void shall affect remaining sections ordinance end sections subsections hereof declared severable section person organization shall violate provisions ordinance shall deemed guilty misdemeanor upon conviction thereof shall fined section ordinances explicitly require submission membership lists rather dues contributions paid paid effect language require submission names members made clear supplemental request made city clerk north little rock petitioner williams dear madam regular meeting north little rock city council held council chamber december instructed request list names addresses officers members north little rock branch naacp portion questionnaire answered december furnish information information must received later december requested original questionnaire received december fact names officers north little rock branch already submitted accordance ordinance example petitioner bates testified well say like past five years collecting guess members year renewals people year guess lost members went back renewals said well wait see happens bennett ordinance example witness testified well people afraid join afraid join people want names exposed afraid names exposed might lose jobs intimidated afraid join said well wait ca afraid give afraid somebody names publicized lose jobs intimidated example petitioner williams testified well able rest night day quite phone number changed call day night found second phone number way called hours night telephone get new number trying find one course tell talking throwed stones home wrote got received letter threatening life threaten life telephone way arkansas construed ordinances requiring disclosure membership list cities challenge petitioners right raise objections defenses available organizations cities challenge right organizations circumstances assert individual rights members cf alabama see note supra provision little rock ordinance imposes annual tax upon ny person firm corporation within city engaging business selling kinds goods wares merchandise whether raw materials finished products regularly established place business maintained within city tax measured gross value average stock inventory preceding year minimum conceded oral argument counsel city little rock provision inapplicable brief filed oral argument made behalf city north little rock justice black justice douglas concurring concur judgment substantially opinion think facts show ordinances applied violate freedom speech assembly guaranteed first amendment many times held made applicable fourteenth amendment illustration jones opelika dissenting opinion adopted murdock pennsylvania kingsley regents see cases cited speiser randall concurring opinion moreover believe indicated rumely concurring opinion first amendment rights beyond abridgment either legislation directly restrains exercise suppression impairment harassment humiliation exposure government one rights freedom assembly includes course freedom association entitled less protection first amendment right alabama de jonge oregon hold principles applicable people constitution irrespective race color politics religion us essence present opinion