Mr. and Mrs. Edward L. Schempp reading through letters of support in their lawsuit against compulsory bible reading in public schools, Abington, PA, June 17, 1963.

Credit: (©CORBIS/Bettmann) Donated by Corbis-Bettmann

The home to many devout religious communities, Pennsylvania in the late 20th century was often prominent in national campaigns related to home schooling and school prayer. A lawsuit filed by Edward L. Schempp, a parent of a school child in Abington, PA, led to a landmark Supreme Court decision on June 17, 1963 that banned compulsory Bible reading in public schools.