Throughout the 1950s, the Red Scare in America hunted communists throughout the country, real or imagined. Much of the persecution was carried out by a House of Representatives Committee called the House Un-American Activities Committee, or HUAC. [1] By 1961, much of the paranoia and hyperbole had passed, leaving much of the American "Old Left" and even many non-Leftists devastated. Red-baiting and charges of communism persisted through the Sixties, however, including Nebraska. That winter the UNL student newspaper, The Daily Nebraskan, ran an article about an essay contest from the New World Review, "a communist monthly publication." A former state senator from Fremont, Ray Simmons, would later point to the essay contest article as proof of the paper promoting communism. The controversial essay topic in question was, "Nuclear warfare threatens the future of all young people." [2] Simmons pointed further at two Daily Nebraskan editorials criticizing the HUAC. [3] Simmons called on the Chancellor of the University of Nebraska, Clifford Hardin, to take action against the Daily Nebraskan, arguing "the time is long overdue for the chancellor of the university to tell us what he intends to do to stop this sort of thing." [4]

Little came of Simmons' efforts. Chancellor Hardin remained committed to defending the free speech of the Daily Nebraskan. [5] The Regents of the University of Nebraska, as well, took no action. However, Simmons did succeed in a couple of areas. First, he received the backing of some Nebraska businessmen, garnering the endorsement of the Junior Chamber of Commerce (the "Jaycees") in his endeavor. [6] Second, the issue garnered a significant amount of local press and attention, including the Norfolk Daily News, the Nebraska City Press, the Grand Island Independent, the Lincoln Star, the World Herald, the York Times, the Alliance Daily and especially the Fremont Tribune. The reaction from Nebraskans ranged from defending the free speech of students to paternalistic criticism of the naivete of the students.

The issue died down for nearly two years, but Simmons' criticism of the Daily Nebraskan would arise once again in 1963. In March of that year, Simmons compiled article clippings from the Daily Nebraskan to prove it was promoting liberalism and discrediting conservatism. Simmons once again called on the University of Nebraska Regents to investigate the paper. [7] Both the editor of the Daily Nebraskan, Linda Jensen, and the director of the School of Journalism (or "J-School"), William Hall, responded quickly. Jensen said Simmons was "carrying on a personal anti-liberal campaign to the detriment of the entire state," while Hall accused Simmons of using selective and unrepresentative examples in the clippings. The Daily Nebraskan staff provided 40 article clippings with a conservative viewpoint, backing up Hall's point. [8] Again the charges received wide coverage from numerous local newspapers for a couple of weeks. However the result was generally the same. Some responses included paternalism, many argued the Daily Nebraskan had freedom of speech and press. Ultimately, the Board of Regents refused to investigate the Daily Nebraskan. [9]

The minor Red Scares at the University of Nebraska at this time tested the resolve of the administration to protect free speech and freedom of the press. It was also an early victory for student rights. Both student rights and free speech would become even more important, locally and nationwide, in the years ahead.