A quick history lesson, how nudism got started in the USA.

In 1929 the flow of German immigrants and tourists began bringing the roots and ideas of the nudist lifestyle to America. It was Kurt Barthel, a German immigrant, who got the ball rolling by informing people that nudism was very common in Germany and France and spreading to other countries. On Labor Day of that same year, Kurt and 3 other couples in Peekskill, New York began American Social Nudism. Just a few months later the American League for Physical Culture ( ALPC ) was founded and within a couple of months they had over 50 members. In 1931 the Reverend Ilsley Boone came on board. He was elected vice president of the ALPC. Now things were really moving. Social nudism received national attention in North America with the forming of the National Nudist Conference, then several years later it became the American Sunbathing Association and just a short time ago it became (and is still known as) the American Association for Nude Recreation.

It was not as easy as it sounds. Many of the above clubs were raided by police. In 1956, in the state of Michigan, a Christian radio evangelist took it into his liberty to close down the Sunshine Gardens Nudist Resort, although to our satisfaction, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled naturists have the right to practice nudism within private resorts.

On January 13, 1958 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Reverend Ilsley Boone and all nudists throughout America, including the publishers, ruling that nudist photos were permitted to travel through the USPS mail system and the photos were not obscene. This ruling was a big relief to nudists and especially helped the growth of the nudist movement. From here on out, the public knew that the nudist movement would flourish and was here to stay and the police raids were over. Due to the efforts of the nudist people who stood up for their rights, we have the freedom to practice nudism as we do now. This is why it is very important to us to continue to protect our rights through the American Association for Nude Recreation and The Naturist Society. They lobby for laws to protect our members and defend the rights of nudist to associate freely in a peaceful wholesome manner and they educate the public about nude recreation.

Also see Ilsley Boone