Description of Incident: In 1938, the U.S. Government banned Henry Millers novel Tropic of Cancer, saying it dealt too explicitly with his sexual adventures and challenged models of sexual morality. To further drive the point home, the government went on to ban all of Millers works from entering the United States.

Results of Incident: In 1961 the US ban on Henry Miller's novels was finally lifted, but the controversy surrounding his books (in particular "Tropic of Cancer") continued. "Tropic of Cancer" was still labeled as "obscene" by the US government and nationwide there were attempts to stop the sale of Miller's novel. In the fall of 1961, police officials in the Chicago area systematically intimidated bookstores who sold the "Tropic of Cancer", making several arrests. The book's publisher, Grove Press, along with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit arguing it is illegal for officials to interfere with the sale of the novel. During the first year of publication Grove Press spent more than $100,000 fighting 60 cases nationwide. It was not until 1964 that the US Supreme Court finally declared "Tropic of Cancer" not to be obscene and its sale protected by the US constitution.

Description of Incident: US critics attacked "Death of a Salesman" as Marxist for its implied critique of capitalism and materialism (ironically, Soviets criticized the play as not being Marxist enough). And, critics objected to "The Crucible" on the basis that it suggested a parallel between the hysteria surrounding the Salem witch hunt and the McCarthyism that dominated the current era. The US government objected to Miller's pro-communism message. In 1954, the Belgo-America Association, a business group, invited Miller to the European premiere of "The Crucible" in Brussels. However, his application for a passport renewal was turned down by the chief of the US passport division as being "not in the national interest". Then, in June 1956, Miller was called to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) concerning unauthorized use of passports. Aware that he had attended a few meetings of communist writers, HUAC ordered Miller to name the meetings' attendees but Miller refused.

Results of Incident: In 1957 Miller was convicted of contempt of Congress, fined $500, and given a suspended 30-day jail sentence. On appeal the next year, the citation was reversed. In 1965, Miller was elected president of PEN, the international literary organization that provides a forum for expressing views and fighting government repression.

Description of Incident: After the war, Mikhoels's theater performed a number of plays depicting Jewish heroism during the war. However, he was not permitted to single out Jews as Nazi victims, and was forced to downplay the anti-Semitism that the war had ignited within the Soviet Union. During this time, Mikhoels also worked with the JAFC to help rebuild Jewish life in the Soviet Union. But, the Soviet state no longer needed to attract the support of western Jews. And, with the onset of the Cold War and the impending creation of Israel, Mikhoels's outspoken defense of Jewish national interests disturbed the Soviet authorities. Mikhoels spoke in favor of the establishment of a Jewish state at a public ceremony; however, the next day, when the ceremony was to broadcast on the radio,Mikhoels's speech was removed.

Results of Incident: On January 13, 1948, Mikhoels was killed after being run over by a truck. While Mikhoels's death was portrayed as a tragic accident, it was in fact arranged by the Ministry of State Security, acting on direct orders from Stalin. Furthermore, in 1949, the state began attacking Mikhoels's legacy by burning his archives, removing his scenes from popular films, and disbanding his theater. Publication of a collection of his writings became possible during the "Thaw" of the late 1950s, and in 1989 the Mikhoels Jewish Cultural Centre was established in Moscow. An official commemoration of the 50th anniversary of his murder was held in 1998.

Description of Incident: Power Rangers has been shown in approximately 30 countries world wide, with little controversy. However, in 1994 the program was declared too violent for Canadian television and pulled from screening on several free-to-air channels, although Canadians with cable continued to receive the show through Fox network. Some Scandinavian countries also dropped the program. The most notable controversy surrounding Power Rangers took place in New Zealand. The show first aired on New Zealands free-to-air television channel during the months of May and July of 1994. During this period, four formal complaints about Power Rangers were referred to the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA). Two of the complaints came from parents and teachers of kindergarteners. One was from the Children's Media Watch, a lobby concerned with children's TV programming, and another came from the mother of young children. The BSA also received a large number of informal written and telephone complaints about the series. The complaints focused on the Power Rangers' use of violence as a means of resolving conflict, and the negative impact of the show on the behavior of children, particularly preschoolers, who were intimidating the martial arts actions. Against the complaints, the broadcaster, Television New Zealand (TVNZ) argued that the series empowered children, offering positive role models and demonstrating values such as self-esteem, courage, responsibility and teamwork. The complainants were not satisfied with TVNZ's defense of the show, and the BSA now became more closely involved. After considering the complaints, the BSA decided in favor of the complainants  stating the show was in fact too violent.

Results of Incident: While the BSA does not have the power to direct the broadcasters or ban television shows, their verdict in the matter was influential. The decision made by the BSA resulted in TVNZ canceling the Power Ranger's show from the channel's regular line-up.

Description of Incident: During the 1600s tradition held that it was forbidden to portray on stage living monarchs in an unfavorable manner. However, the British government granted Middleton permission to perform his play. In August of 1624, the play premiered in London and was an immediate success. However, the Spanish ambassador angerly informed King James I that the play presented an unfair anti-Spanish feeling to such a degree that he no longer felt safe living in London. The ambassador demanded that the actors be punished, or else the kind should be prepared for severances of all relations between Spain and England.

Results of Incident: Due to Spain's threats, King James called for the actors and Middleton to appear before him to discuss the matter. The actors appeared and were told that they were forbidden to perform. Failing to appear, a warrant was put out for Middleton's arrest. When he could not be found, his 20-year-old son, Edward, was brought in for questioning but was unwilling to provide information about his father. When Middleton finally did resurface, he spent some time in Fleet Prison awaiting formal pardon by the king. The length and circumstances of his imprisonment are unknown, but it is thought that he was released. No further performances of the play were allowed.

Description of Incident: His 1845 book that attacked the Roman Church was censored by the church who saw it as a threat. Believing the book compromised the church's position in society, the Roman Church promptly put the text on the "Index Librorum Prohibitorum". In 1848 Michelet was suspended from his teaching position at the College de France for his outspoken attacks against the Jesuit faith. Then, in 1849, he returned to his teaching position, however, French government agents posing as students attended his lectures and staged riots. Michelet was finally dismissed for good by Louis Napoleon in 1851.

Results of Incident: Michelet continued to write and express his views. In 1858 he wrote "L'Amour" (Love), in which he contrasted the love and morality which existed in ordinary families with their absence in the institutional Church. Despite the work being censored and placed on the "Index", it became extremely popular among the reading public. Before his death in 1874 Michelet wrote additional works all of which were placed on the "Index" until it was abolished in 1966.

Description of Incident: After years of censorship and bans on his plays, in the 1930's Meyerhold was finally given permission to take his theater company on tour to Germany and France. Despite being granted permission to perform, his works continued to be criticized, banned and attacked. In Paris, Meyerhold's two works about revolution - Tretiakov's "Roar, China!" and Ilia Selvinskii's "The Second Army Commander" - were banned by the French government. And, his reworking of Gogol's "The Government Inspector" provoked angry demonstrations from the Russian people. Then, when Meyerhold applied to the Soviet authorities for permission to take his company on a tour of the United States, he was rejected.

Results of Incident: By the 1930's he was hated by the Soviet country and the object of attack. In 1938, his wife and star actress, Zinaida Raikh, was stabbed to death through the eyes by unknown but probably officially approved government assailants. Then, in 1940, Meyerhold was shot and killed. Today, many claim his influence remains the invisible underpinning of western theater.

Description of Incident: Even though Menzel and Hrabal were a powerful filmmaking team at the time and had won an Academy Award for a previous film, "Skylarks" was completely banned by authorities. Although it was spread through underground videos, it saw no public release at all.

Results of Incident: Although Menzel and Hrabal were allowed to continue their careers, they were closely watched and would need to make compromises with censors. Eventually these difficulties led Menzel to move to theater.

The film was not released until the fall of Communism in 1990, when it saw great success at the box office.

Description of Incident: The poem was published in Paris in 1876. However, it was not until 1879 that The Office of the Public Prosecutor of Étampes filed charges against Maupassant and his publisher for the offensive piece.

Maupassant was less worried about incarceration than he was about losing his position and livelihood at the Ministry of Education. He asked his friend, Gustave Flaubert, a respected Freanch author, to write a letter in his defense and get it published. In this letter, Flaubert asks why Étampes should have the poem banned while it is allowed to be published in Paris, claiming that justice in the provinces should be no different than justice in Paris. Furthermore, he states that if the authorities were to have their way and command a "monopoly of taste," great artists such as Shakespeare and Voltaire would never flourish.

Results of Incident: The charges against Maupassant were dropped due to Flaubert's defense and a lack of evidence.

Afterwards, Maupassant continued to protest censorship, even when the case was not directly aimed towards him. He became a firm believer that works of art should not be subject to change for failing to follow the standards of popular writing aimed at the general public.

Description of Incident: Local officials took down Kulons painting from a gallery of 600 pieces of art in the lobby of the Sullivan County Government Center. The work was removed from the gallery due to its controversial and political message and its alleged anti-war statement.

Results of Incident:  Kulon brought a lawsuit against Sullivan County claiming that the removal of his art was censorship and a violation of his constitutional rights. In August of 2007, Kulon won at $40,000 settlement against the County. Along with winning his suit, in 2005, a group called Sullivan Peace and Justice displayed the painting beneath the spot where it once hung, while handing out peace literature. The group later presented lawmakers with a petition with 100 signatures opposing the county's decision to take it down. County officials ultimately agreed to let Kulon hang the painting, if he wanted to bring it back.

Description of Incident: In the early 1960's, Markov was a celebrated writer in Bulgaria. He had gained access to the circle of Bulgaria's literary elites and mingled with high ranking officials who enjoyed the arts. Through attending their parties he had learned many intimate secrets of high ranking party members.

In the early 60's, a roof collapsed and killed several workers. The government was slow to react and Markov to write his first novel that was critical of the regime ("The Great Roof"). By the late 60's, several of his novels and plays had been banned by the government. In 1969, his controversial play "The Man Who Was Me" was closed and Markov was warned to leave Bulgaria.

He defected to the West and was declared a traitor in Bulgaria for doing so. He continued to critique the leaders of Eastern Europe through plays he wrote while living in Britain. In the mid-70's he became a scriptwriter for the BBC and Radio Free Europe. His programs largely consisted of his memoirs, which also revealed many secrets of the high party officials he had learned about in Bulgaria, especially those of president Todor Zhivkov. In addition, he explained the way censors in Bulgaria would distort language to block work they find inappropriate.

Results of Incident: In 1977 Zhivkov signed a degree to neutralize enemy emigrants. During the next few years there were several unsuccessful attempts to assassinate Markov. Finally, in 1978, Markov was killed. He was shot in the leg with a poison pellet, launched by an agent using a modified umbrella to launch it. The evidence of the crime was removed from the Bulgarian government archives, so the case of Markov's death remain a mystery.

Description of Incident: Marker's film "Cuba si!" was called into question due to its anti-American/anti-Western message, its attack on the Catholic Church, and the free public forum it provided communist Cuba with. As a result of the film's controversial nature, on July 31, 1961 the French Commission de controle des films cinematographiques agreed to ban the film abroad as well as in France.

Results of Incident: Marker responded to the French Commission's ruling by arranging film screenings for foreign journalists and critics, in and around Paris. He also published the first of his volumes of "Commentaries", which includes texts of the commentary accompanying "Cuba si!", a selection of stills, texts of the narrative tracks of his six earlier documentaries, and copies of his correspondence with the Ministry of Information pertaining to bans on his films. The screenings Marker arranged along with illegal prints caused the film to be seen and reviewed in Germany, Scandinavia, and Britain; but it has never been publicly screened in the US

Description of Incident: On June 25, 1975, members of the militant American Indian Movement (AIM) shot and killed FBI agents Jack Coler and Ron Williams on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Four men were indicted for the murders; one was released, two were acquitted when a jury found that they acted in self-defense, and the fourth, a Chippewa Sioux named Leonard Peltier was convicted of the murders and sentenced to two life sentences in prison. Essayist and novelist, Peter Matthiessen strongly objected to the conviction of Peltier. And, the case inspired him to write "In the Spirit of Crazy Horse" in which he tells the story of Peltier, AIM, and the systematic oppression and inequity of Native Americans. In his book, Matthiessen argues that the killing of Coler and Williams was the result of years of the US government's unfair treatment and persecution of Native Americans, treating the AIM as domestic terrorists. According to Matthiessen, the death of the two FBI agents was the result of years of abuse inflicted onto the Native Americans. And, Matthiessen takes particular aim at South Dakota governor at the time William Janklow and FBI agent David Price. Matthiessen portrayed Janklow as a bigot and a sexual offender (Matthiessen reported, accurately, that the governor had been charged with sexual offences on two separate occasions) and the written criticized Price for his longstanding anti-AIM position. Objecting strongly to their unfavorable characterization in the book both prominent figures file libel suits against the author, the publisher Viking Press, and booksellers that were stocking the book. The suits', asking for a total of $44 million in damages, effectively repressed "In the Spirit of Crazy Horse" for eight years and is considered one of the longest, most drawn out and most expensive libel suits in publishing history.

Results of Incident: Ultimately, both cases were dismissed, but only after years of legal wrangling and millions of dollars in legal expenses. In one of the suits, the US Court of Appeals for the Eight Circuit sided against Agent Price when they concluded that "[...] the Constitution requires more speech rather than less". And, in 1990 when the US Supreme Court refused to hear his appeal, Price finally settled his suit. Governor Janklow's suit was also settled in 1990 after the South Dakota Circuit and Supreme Courts dismissed it. Paltier has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Price and has been designated a political prisoner by Amnesty International, the former Soviet Union, and Desmond Tutu. Robert Redford produced a documentary about Peltier that is loosely based on Matthiessen's book. And, although Bill Clinton considered issuing a presidential pardon to Peltier before leaving office, Peltier remains in Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary.