In the modern era, the National Education Association (NEA) is committed to the rights of teachers and faculty members to teach, undertake research, and lead fully political lives without fear of retribution. This devotion can be seen in policy statements, legislative activities, and the pages of "Thought and Action," its journal devoted to higher education. Although this concern has been evident for years, the NEA's commitment to academic freedom was not always so clear. It was during the 1920s and 1930s that NEA members pushed the association to claim liberties, defend principles of academic freedom, and create standards across educational levels and institutional types. Importantly, these efforts involved both internal and external groups, showing that the NEA wrestled with the appropriate approaches to difficult issues in contested times. This article recovers and complicates this history, demonstrating the conflicted nature of the association's approach to the rights and responsibilities of K-12 teachers and higher education faculty.