NARA Hosts Program on Free Expression and Democracy in America
Press Release · Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Washington, DC

Distinguished panel to explore law, history, and politics of freedom of speech in the U.S.

On Thursday, May 14 at 7 p.m., the National Archives will host a special program entitled: Free Expression and Democracy in America. This event is free and open to the public, and will take place in the William G. McGowan Theater of the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, located on the National Mall at Constitution Avenue and 7th Street, NW. The building is fully accessible.

From our nation’s beginnings to the present, numerous Federal and local officials have endorsed the silencing of free expression. But is our level of freedom determined not only by the Supreme Court but also by cultural, social, and economic forces? Join Ronald K.L. Collins, scholar at the First Amendment Center, as he moderates a distinguished panel discussing law, history, and politics of freedom of speech in the United States. The panel includes Stephen M. Feldman, professor of political science at the University of Wyoming and author of Free Expression and Democracy in America; Judge Thomas L. Ambro, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit; and David M. O’Brien, professor of judicial politics and public law at the University of Virginia. A book signing will follow the program, and the book is available from the Archives Shop. Call (202) 357-5271. This program is presented in partnership with the First Amendment Center.

To verify dates and times of the programs, call 202-357-5000, or view the Calendar of Events. To request an accommodation (e.g., sign language interpreter) for a public program, please e-mail public.program@nara.gov or call (202) 357-5000 at least two weeks prior to the event. To contact the National Archives, please call 1-866-272-6272 or 1-86-NARA-NARA (TDD) 301-837-0482

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For Press information, contact the National Archives Public Affairs staff at 202-357-5300.

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