In the 1965 case National Association for the Advancement of Colored People et al. v. Overstreet, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the NAACP and other civil rights organizations that were challenging a Mississippi law requiring them to disclose their membership lists. The state argued that it needed this information to ensure tax compliance and prevent fraud, but these groups claimed that such disclosure would expose their members to harassment or retaliation, thereby infringing on their First Amendment rights of free association. The court agreed with this argument, stating that forced disclosure could deter individuals from joining or supporting these organizations out of fear for personal safety or public reprisal - thus inhibiting freedom of association protected by the Constitution.

The dissenting opinion in the case of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People et al. v. Overstreet argued that there was no constitutional violation in requiring a local branch of NAACP to disclose its membership list as part of an investigation into potential violations of state law regarding solicitation and fundraising practices. The dissenters believed that this requirement did not infringe upon First Amendment rights, as it was merely a tool for ensuring compliance with existing laws rather than an attempt to suppress or intimidate members based on their association with NAACP. They also pointed out that any potential harm from disclosure would be speculative at best, and should not outweigh the state's interest in enforcing its laws effectively.