Flashpoints: Free Speech and Civil Rights

2000 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Boulevard,Birmingham AL 35203

28 July, 2022

Description

How has the First Amendment been invoked to help or to hinder the progress of civil rights? This panel discussion will examine how mid-1960s were a turning point not only for the Civil Rights movement, but also the history of free speech in the U.S. In 1964 alone, the Civil Rights Act officially outlawed identity-based discrimination in voting, schools, and employment while the Supreme Court decided the first of a series of landmark cases that enabled the press to more freely cover contentious issues like civil rights. Protests of the time also introduced many new legal cases about liability, violence, ideological association, and public organizing that tested the boundaries of the First Amendment. In following years, the LGBTQIA+ community and racial minorities would see civil rights gains achieved through protests and the court system. In a robust conversation at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, public historians will dig into the rich legacy of protest and advocacy that has propelled social change in Birmingham and beyond. Panelists: Carlos Ball, nationally recognized expert on LGBTQ rights law and constitutional law; professor of law at Rutgers University; and author or editor of nine books. Michael Harriot, Senior Writer at TheRoot.com specializing in the intersection of race, politics, and culture; political commentator on MSNBC and CNN; and recipient of the National Association of Black Journalists Award for digital commentary as well as TV news writing. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flashpoints has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom.