National Organization for Decent Literature
The National Organization for Decent Literature (NODL) was established in the mid-twentieth century by the Roman Catholic Church in the United States, aiming to promote moral standards in literature. It operated as a counterpart to the Legion of Decency, which focused on films. The NODL sought to increase public awareness about literature deemed objectionable, advocating for stricter enforcement of existing laws and the introduction of new legislation. They compiled monthly lists of publications that they considered inappropriate, which included works that glorified crime or contained sexual content, indecent illustrations, and articles on immoral relations. Notable authors like James A. Michener, Mickey Spillane, and James M. Cain found their works criticized and often blacklisted by this organization. The NODL effectively pressured publishers to modify their materials to avoid inclusion on their list, demonstrating its influence during its operational period. Overall, the NODL's efforts reflected a broader cultural context concerned with maintaining moral integrity in literature.
National Organization for Decent Literature
Founded: 1938
Type of organization: Roman Catholic body opposed to offensive magazines
Significance: The NODL has organized effective campaigns against the publication and sale of lewd magazines and brochure literature
During the mid-twentieth century the NODL was a strikingly successful group. The NODL was organized by the Roman Catholic church in America as a parallel organization to the film-oriented Legion of Decency. The goals of this group were to arouse public awareness, more rigorously enforce pre-existing laws, promote more strict legislation, distribute monthly lists of objectionable material prepared by the group, and to visit newsstands to guarantee the removal of blacklisted publications.
The standards used by the NODL for their objections were those publications that glorified crime, that had content of a sexual nature, that had illustrations considered indecent, that published articles on immoral relations, and that carried disreputable advertising. Many popular authors, including James A. Michener, Mickey Spillane, and James M. Cain, fell under the indecent category of the NODL. The NODL was successful while it was in operation, getting publishers to alter their materials in order to be removed from the NODL blacklist.