Alexander Allain

Alexander Peter Allain (June 27, 1920 – January 5, 1994)[1] was an American lawyer and library advocate known for his work securing the freedom of expression.

Allain is recognized as one of American Libraries' “100 of the Most Important Leaders we had in the 20th Century” for being “a true visionary” in his battle to uphold the First Amendment; his work with the American Library Association (ALA) included helping with the creation of the Office for Intellectual Freedom in 1967 and cofounding the Freedom to Read Foundation.

[3][4] Born in Louisiana, as a young man, Allain served as a liaison officer in the French Navy during World War II, stationed in Casablanca.

[5] It was during this time that the United States feared communism and scrutinized libraries for harboring any information that could potentially influence the public opinion.

[11] Allain felt that there should be overlap of both organizations so that the focus remained centered on intellectual freedom and could be worked on in harmony.