Ezra Heywood

Ezra Heywood was an American anarchist, abolitionist and early suffragist who advocated for equal rights for women. Heywood served as the editor for the anarchist magazine, "The Word" and was arrested for mailing obscene material after the postal inspector ordered a copy of a pamphlet Heywood wrote which attacked the concept of marriage and advocated for women being allowed the right of divorce. A concept that was dubbed as, "free love" at the time. He was convicted and sentenced to two years' hard labor, though was pardoned by President Hayes after only six months due in part to a rally held outside Faneuil Hall which drew 5,000 supporters demanding his release. In 1882, he was again arrested for mailing obscene material but acquitted. Upon a third arrest, under the Massachusetts obscenity law, in 1883, Heywood’s neighbors, despite their strong disagreement with his views, formed a defense committee and petitioned against the prosecution, which was not pressed. In 1890 he was convicted in the United States court for mailing obscene material in the form of articles written by his wife which were published in "The Word," He was sentenced to two years imprisonment, which he served.