Remembering Robert M. O’Neil
Former NCAC board member and leading First Amendment attorney Robert O'Neil leaves behind a legacy of inclusion and equal rights.
Local Pastors Attempt to Ban Books from Banned Books Display at Maine Public Library
A group of pastors in Rumford, Maine are attempting to have LGBTQ books banned from the Rumford Public Library's display of banned books.
NCAC Urges Swift Consideration of Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board Nominees
The PCLOB has now lacked a quorum for over 19 months, hamstringing its ability to function.
University of Kentucky Unveils Installation to Encourage Dialogue about Race
The University of Kentucky has unveiled a new site-specific public artwork by Philadelphia artist Karyn Olivier, commissioned in response to a heated controversy around a fresco that students said was traumatizing, creating a model for balancing conflict and tensions around campus art.
NCAC Supports Louisiana Library Hosting Drag Queen Story Time | UPDATE: Success!
Controversy arose over the announcement that the library would host the family-focused program, which features reading, singing and crafts presided over by drag queens.
NCAC Joint Statement on President Trump’s Effort to Intimidate Book Publisher
The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) joins 16 other organizations in condemning President Trump’s effort to intimidate a book publisher by threatening legal action. The joint statement states that the President’s attempts to intimidate book publishers will fail.
Free Expression and LGBT Rights Groups Oppose LGBTQ Display Ban in Southern Utah
NCAC is calling on public libraries of Washington County, Utah to reconsider a ban on LGBTQ displays. Joined by the National Council of Teachers of English and Lambda Legal, the letter warns that the ban poses a serious threat to equal rights and freedom of expression and sets a dangerous precedent by perpetuating a culture of prejudice and intolerance. “A [...]
Alex Jones And Online Content Regulation
Removals of Alex Jones's content from online platforms raise questions about content regulation, censorship and who chooses what we can see, and shine a harsh light on the challenges tech companies face in applying their own content guidelines.
NCAC Joins Call for Greater Transparency in Kavanaugh Confirmation Process
The National Coalition Against Censorship has joined 15 other civil liberties and open government organizations to call for comprehensive disclosure of documents relating to Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
NCAC Supports Senate Resolution Condemning Trump Administration’s Escalating Attacks on Media
In response to the White House's decision to ban a CNN reporter in retaliation for asking a question, ten Senators have introduced a resolution condemning increasing infringement on press freedom, with the support of several national civil liberties organizations.
New Trigger Warnings Study Confirms Potential Harm to Students
A new study confirms that trigger warnings may do more harm than good.
Major International Organization Endorses NCAC Museum Controversy Best Practices
In the wake of recent controversies, the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art is providing guidance to its members by endorsing NCAC's Museum Best Practices for Managing Controversy.
NCAC Joins FIRE and the ACLU Urging the University of Kansas to Restore American Flag Artwork
NCAC has joined the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Kansas in a letter to the University of Kansas (KU) strongly urging it to take a stand against censorship by restoring a public artwork that the university removed last week.
Kansas Governor and Secretary of State Pressure University to Remove Artwork | UPDATE: NCAC Co-Signs Joint Letter
Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer and Secretary of State Kris Kobach separately pressured officials at the University of Kansas (KU) to remove an art display, threatening the free expression of the artist, curator and KU students.
NCAC Cautions Durham Elected Officials Against No-Platforming Jordan Peterson
Elected officials in Durham, NC, issued a statement calling for the Durham Performing Arts Center to deny a platform to Jordan Peterson due to discomfort with his ideas.
Fraternal Order of Police Challenges Summer Reading List in South Carolina High School
Both The Hate U Give and All American Boys have been highly praised for their complex handling of stories centering on the intersections of racism and police violence, but local police are challenging the books' inclusion on Waldo High School's summer reading list.
NCAC Joins Student Press Law Center in Condemning Shooting at Capital Gazette
NCAC has signed on to a statement authored by the Student Press Law Center in response to the shooting at the Capital Gazette newspaper and the targeting of journalists.
Why (Your) Protest Matters: Film Contest Winners and Semi-Finalists
This year's Youth Free Expression Program Film Contest asked filmmakers under 19 to create films that think broadly about protest, demonstration and change. After receiving hundreds of entries, we are delighted to share our 8 semi-finalist films.
US Customs and Border Control Urged Not to Destroy Art by Deported Veterans
NCAC is urging United States Customs and Border Protection to respect the artistic expression of deported US military veterans and the First Amendment rights of a recognized public artist. USCBP is considering destroying a mural on the border wall dividing San Diego and Tijuana, following a visit to the area by President Trump.
Read with Pride: 10 Great LGBTQ YA Books for Summer
Kick off summer with NCAC's recommendations for books that amplify LGBTQ stories and voices, and that are frequently banned in schools!
NCAC and ArtsEverywhere Roundtable Tackles Cultural Appropriation in Art
The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) and ArtsEverywhere have launched an online roundtable to investigate the intersections of art, freedom and the politics of social justice.
Former NCAC Executive Director, Joan Bertin, Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
The Hugh M. Hefner Foundation will give its First Amendment Lifetime Achievement Award to Joan Bertin, longtime Executive Director of the National Coalition Against Censorship.
Fun Home Under Fire in New Jersey
Fun Home is under attack again, this time in a New Jersey High School.
San Diego Parents Stage ‘Opt-Out’ Protests Against Sex Ed
A group called the Concerned Parents of San Diego held their children from school to protest the district's Sexual Health Education Program, SHEP. Among the material the group finds objectionable is the award-winning It's Perfectly Normal, by Robie Harris.
NCAC Joins Call for DHS to Release “Race Paper”
The National Coalition Against Censorship has joined with 35 other organizations, including Free Press, ACLU and Color of Change, in calling upon the DHS to release its unredacted memos known as the "Race Paper" and the “Growing Frequency of Race-Related Domestic Terrorist Violence.”
Burnsville Visual Arts Society Removes Painting About Police Killings
Despite winning an award in pre-show judging, a painting by blind painter Annie Young that takes on the difficult subject of police violence against people of color proved too controversial for display by the Burnsville Visual Arts Society at the Ames Center.
Prosper High School Journalists Stand Up to Censorship | UPDATED
Student journalists at Prosper High School wrote to their Superintendent to protest the dismissal of their journalism instructor and the repeated censorship of editorial pieces in the student publication, Eagle Nation Online.
NCAC Urges University of Southern Maine to Restore Paintings Removed from Exhibit
The University of Southern Maine has removed three works following a complaint to the university, citing the painter's previous conviction for sexual offenses. NCAC is urging the university to restore the works.
Concern Over Removal of Poetry Display at Aurora Public Library
The Aurora Public Library has removed a poem entitled "Hijab mean Jihad" from a display after community members complained.
When the Cure is Worse than the Disease: A Review of HATE by Nadine Strossen
Nadine Strossen's new book, HATE, is a clear and forceful polemic that deserves a wide audience. The book brilliantly revitalizes a classical liberal argument about the importance of countering hate speech with more speech, not enforced silence.
Trump Travel Ban Already Stifling Creative Freedom Ahead of Supreme Court Hearing
NCAC joins PEN America and 31 other prominent arts organizations in urging the Supreme Court to strike down the third version of the Trump travel ban issued in September 2017. The case will receive a hearing in the Supreme Court on April 25.
NJ Museum Cites Unconstitutional Legal Principle in Ejecting Artist from Show/ UPDATE: Decision Reversed
The Belskie Museum of Art in northern New Jersey has ejected an invited artist from its exhibit for painting on US flags.
MK Asante, Leora Kahn & NYFA Chairs Named Film Contest Judges
The National Coalition Against Censorship continues its support of student-led protests by extending the deadline for its protest-themed film contest to May 15th. This year’s contest invites aspiring teen filmmakers to create short films on the value of protest as an instrument of social change. In the weeks leading up to the March for Our Lives and National School Walkouts [...]
ALA Reveals Top 10 Silenced Stories of 2017
Often, the most frequently challenged books tell the stories that most need to be heard. The 10 most challenged books of 2017, according to the American Library Association, were no different.
Howard Univ. Students Reach Settlement After Historic 9-Day Protest
Student protesters reached a settlement with the Howard University Board of Trustees... The sit-ins broke the record for the longest Howard University student protest and harked back to historic campus takeovers by black student activists in the 1960s.
NCAC Joins 32 Organizations in Amicus Brief to Strike Down the Trump Administration’s Travel Ban
(Photo: Masha George/Flickr/cc) NCAC joins PEN America and 31 other prominent arts organizations to jointly file a friend of the court brief in the case of State of Hawaii v. Trump, urging the Supreme Court to strike down the third version of the Trump travel ban issued on September 27, 2017. Executive Order (EO) 13780 bans all immigration from six majority Muslim [...]
Meet Maggie Budzyna: A Young Filmmaker Determined to Resist Injustice
Maggie Budzyna's debut film, CENSORED, tackles the slippery slope of banning words from public dialogue. We spoke with the 17-year-old filmmaker about censorship, youth activism and the importance of using her artistic freedom to resist injustice. Watch her film and read the interview.
Departure of MassArt Professor Saul Levine Raises Academic Freedom Concerns
After anonymous complaints about brief images of sexual acts in an avant-garde film shown in class, the Massachusetts College of Art and Design launched a sexual harassment investigation. Saul Levine, the professor teaching the class and the target of the investigation, who is also a well-regarded avant-garde filmmaker, resigned in protest. This incident raises serious concerns beyond the individual case.
Robert S. Rubin, Who Defended The Brooklyn Museum Against Rudy Giuliani, Passes Away at 86
Remembering Robert S. Rubin and his defense of The Brooklyn Museum in a highly publicized controversy in which he went head-to-head with then-mayor Rudy Giuliani who threatened the museum's funding if a piece was not removed from a 1999 exhibition.
How I Became a Lit Activist: A 5-Step Guide
When her school district banned her favorite book, The Hate U Give, from libraries, 15-year old Ny'Shira Lundy was inspired to take action.