Revilo Pendleton Oliver (July 7, 1908 – August 10, 1994) was an American professor of classical philology, Spanish, and Italian at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He was also an active figure in [right-wing](https://doctorparadox.net/tag/right-wing/) political circles and known for his controversial views. Oliver was born in Corpus Christi, Texas. He studied at Pomona College and the University of Illinois, where he obtained his PhD. He went on to teach at the University of Illinois for many years, where he was well-regarded for his scholarship in the classical languages. ## John Birch Society involvement In addition to his academic career, Oliver was deeply involved in politics. He was one of the founders of the [[John Birch Society (JBS)]], a right-wing political advocacy group, in 1958. However, Oliver left the Society in 1966 after a falling out with its leadership. After leaving the John Birch Society, Oliver became associated with more [extremist](https://doctorparadox.net/psychology/extremism/) right-wing groups and ideologies. He wrote extensively on what he perceived as the decline of Western civilization and the threats posed by [[communism]] and other forms of government. His views were often controversial, and he was criticized for promoting [conspiracy theories](https://doctorparadox.net/why-do-people-believe-conspiracy-theories/) and for his [racist](https://doctorparadox.net/category/psychology/racism/) beliefs and [[antisemitism]]. Oliver continued to write and speak on political topics until his death in 1994. His work remains a topic of study for those interested in the history of right-wing politics in the United States.