How Anthony Comstock became America’s most powerful censor
Morality Police
You may not learn his name in history class, but you should! After the American Civil War, prudish Anthony Comstock believed he should control what was considered moral in public life, and he built his career around enforcing that idea. As a U.S. postal inspector, he helped push through the Comstock Act of 1873, banning "obscene" materials from the mail. But in practice, the law’s vague language gave sweeping power to censor books, pamphlets, and ideas he personally opposed.