WHO WE ARE
Our Mission
Every generation of Americans faces new and significant challenges to free expression. For almost 50 years, NCAC has acted as a first responder to protect this freedom, which is both a fundamental human right and a keystone of democracy in the ever-changing American nation. We promote freedom of thought and inquiry and oppose censorship. When controversy occurs, we encourage and facilitate dialogue between divergent voices and perspectives, including those that have historically been silenced.
Who We Serve
- Students, teachers, librarians, parents and others opposing censorship in schools and libraries
- Artists, curators and museum directors resisting art censorship
- Writers and publishers
- Activists and protestors
- Dramatists, filmmakers, creators of all forms of art and cultural production
- Our coalition partners
Our Core Beliefs
- Free expression is fundamental to both individuals and society. The right to free expression is a basic human right and essential to human fulfillment.
- The right to free expression, including the right to access ideas, information, art and science, makes it possible for original thought and creativity to thrive.
- We are a non-partisan organization. We defend the right to free expression no matter how controversial or objectionable to many the expression may be.
- While our work enforces First Amendment principles, we defend freedom of expression when menaced by unwarranted suppression from any source, including local, state and federal officials, private individuals and corporations. Free expression issues are particularly complex and evolving in the increasingly important social media sphere, in which some individuals and entities wield great power. We advocate measures that will foster free expression in this crucial arena.
WHAT WE DO
Youth Free Expression Program
The Youth Free Expression Program empowers youth with knowledge, tools and opportunities to assert and defend their right to free expression. YFEP believes that denying young people the freedom to create, explore and inquire is counterproductive and dangerous. Young people have every right to participate in conversations–locally, nationally and globally–that affect their lives.
Arts and Culture Advocacy Program
The Arts Advocacy Program is the only national project dedicated to working directly with individual artists and curators involved in censorship disputes. AAP protects artists’ rights to participate in the democratic dialogue through advocacy and education, by defending public access to artists’ work and supporting their ability to freely express views that might be unpopular or controversial.
Kids’ Right to Read
Project
The Kids’ Right to Read Project offers support, education, and direct advocacy to people facing book challenges or bans in schools and libraries and engages local advocates in promoting the freedom to read.KRRP has helped defend hundreds of titles, in almost every state in the nation. It is supported in part by the American Booksellers for Free Expression, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and National Council of Teachers of English.
RECENT CASES
GET INVOLVED
We cannot do this work without your support. Every donation helps ensure that we can fight for every American’s fundamental right to express themselves.
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CONTACT US
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Email Us
General inquiries [email protected]
Development and fundraising [email protected]
Media and marketing [email protected]