David Fellman
Encyclopedia
David Fellman was an United States law and civil liberties
and advocate for academic freedom
. He taught general constitutional law, administrative law
and civil liberties
(possibly the first instance of such as a separate course in an American political science department).
Born in Omaha, Nebraska
, Fellman was a member of the Omaha Central High School
debate team that won the Nebraska state championship in 1925. That same year, he had been named as the best extemporaneous speaker in the state. He received A.B.
(1929) and M.A.
(1930) degrees from the University of Nebraska and the Ph.D.
degree from Yale University
(1934).
He taught at the University of Nebraska from 1934 to 1947 and the University of Wisconsin–Madison
from 1947 until he retired in 1978, holding the Vilas chair for the last fifteen of those years. He maintained an office at UW–Madison through the late 1980s.
His many books include The Censorship of Books (1957), The Defendant’s Rights (1958), The Limits of Freedom (1959), The Supreme Court and Education (1960), The Constitutional Rights of Association (1963), Religion in American Public Law (1965), The Defendant's Rights Under English Law (1966), and The Defendant's Rights Today (1976).
He wrote an annual article for the American Political Science Review from 1949 - 1961 on constitutional law, reviewing the prior year's work of the U.S. Supreme Court. Other writings include numerous articles published in law and political science journals, contributions to various encyclopedias and single chapters in a number of books.
He wrote speeches for two Democratic
governors in the 1960s, and was a member of the governor's Commission on Human Rights and of the governor's Commission on Constitutional Revision.
Fellman was president of the Midwest Political Science Association, 1955 -56, founding editor of that association's Midwest Journal of Political Science (now American Journal of Political Science), 1957- 1959, vice president of the American Political Science Association, 1959 - 1960; senior research Fulbright fellow, Great Britain, 1961 - 1962; holder of research grants from the Fund for the Republic, 1957 - 1958 and the Social Science Research Council, 1959 - 1960; and recipient of an honorary degree (Doctor of Laws) from the University of Nebraska, 1966.
Fellman was a member of the American Association of University Professors for sixty-one years, on its Committee A from 1957- 1971, chaired it from 1959 – 1964, became president of the AAUP in 1964 – 1966 and continued as a member of the Governing Board of its Legal Defense Fund into the 1990s.
Civil liberties
Civil liberties are rights and freedoms that provide an individual specific rights such as the freedom from slavery and forced labour, freedom from torture and death, the right to liberty and security, right to a fair trial, the right to defend one's self, the right to own and bear arms, the right...
and advocate for academic freedom
Academic freedom
Academic freedom is the belief that the freedom of inquiry by students and faculty members is essential to the mission of the academy, and that scholars should have freedom to teach or communicate ideas or facts without being targeted for repression, job loss, or imprisonment.Academic freedom is a...
. He taught general constitutional law, administrative law
Administrative law
Administrative law is the body of law that governs the activities of administrative agencies of government. Government agency action can include rulemaking, adjudication, or the enforcement of a specific regulatory agenda. Administrative law is considered a branch of public law...
and civil liberties
Civil liberties
Civil liberties are rights and freedoms that provide an individual specific rights such as the freedom from slavery and forced labour, freedom from torture and death, the right to liberty and security, right to a fair trial, the right to defend one's self, the right to own and bear arms, the right...
(possibly the first instance of such as a separate course in an American political science department).
Born in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
, Fellman was a member of the Omaha Central High School
Omaha Central High School
Omaha Central High School, originally known as Omaha High School, was founded in 1859.The current building, located in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska, was designed by John Latenser, Sr. and built between 1900 and 1912...
debate team that won the Nebraska state championship in 1925. That same year, he had been named as the best extemporaneous speaker in the state. He received A.B.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(1929) and M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
(1930) degrees from the University of Nebraska and the Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
degree from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
(1934).
He taught at the University of Nebraska from 1934 to 1947 and the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
from 1947 until he retired in 1978, holding the Vilas chair for the last fifteen of those years. He maintained an office at UW–Madison through the late 1980s.
His many books include The Censorship of Books (1957), The Defendant’s Rights (1958), The Limits of Freedom (1959), The Supreme Court and Education (1960), The Constitutional Rights of Association (1963), Religion in American Public Law (1965), The Defendant's Rights Under English Law (1966), and The Defendant's Rights Today (1976).
He wrote an annual article for the American Political Science Review from 1949 - 1961 on constitutional law, reviewing the prior year's work of the U.S. Supreme Court. Other writings include numerous articles published in law and political science journals, contributions to various encyclopedias and single chapters in a number of books.
He wrote speeches for two Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
governors in the 1960s, and was a member of the governor's Commission on Human Rights and of the governor's Commission on Constitutional Revision.
Fellman was president of the Midwest Political Science Association, 1955 -56, founding editor of that association's Midwest Journal of Political Science (now American Journal of Political Science), 1957- 1959, vice president of the American Political Science Association, 1959 - 1960; senior research Fulbright fellow, Great Britain, 1961 - 1962; holder of research grants from the Fund for the Republic, 1957 - 1958 and the Social Science Research Council, 1959 - 1960; and recipient of an honorary degree (Doctor of Laws) from the University of Nebraska, 1966.
Fellman was a member of the American Association of University Professors for sixty-one years, on its Committee A from 1957- 1971, chaired it from 1959 – 1964, became president of the AAUP in 1964 – 1966 and continued as a member of the Governing Board of its Legal Defense Fund into the 1990s.