NCAC’s mission is to promote freedom of thought, inquiry and expression and oppose censorship in all its forms.
How We Work
- Assist students, teachers, librarians, parents and others opposing censorship in schools and libraries
- Help artists, curators and museum directors resist art censorship
- Inform public officials, the media and the general public about First Amendment rights and obligations
- Advocate for public policies and laws that respect First Amendment rights and principles
- Educate young people about the importance of free expression, claiming their rights and respecting the rights of others
- Engage with a nationwide network of activists and support local activism
- Analyze censorship trends and develop new strategies to promote free speech rights
Our Programs
Arts Advocacy Program
Launched in 2000, our Arts Advocacy Program is the only national project dedicated to working directly with individual artists and curators involved in censorship disputes. Its main goal is to protect artists’ rights to participate in the democratic dialogue by defending public access to their work, and supporting their ability to freely express views that might be unpopular or controversial.
Youth Free Expression Program
The Youth Free Expression Program confronts the kinds of censorship young people encounter on a daily basis and promotes policies that emphasize informing, educating, and guiding young people so that they can safely navigate and participate in contemporary culture. To grow into thoughtful, mature and informed adults, young people need the freedom to explore, learn, and question. YFEP works to educate students on their First Amendment rights and advocate for them when challenged.
Kids Right to Read Project
The Kids’ Right to Read Project is a signature project of NCAC’s Youth Free Expression Program. KRRP offers support, education, and direct advocacy to people facing book challenges or bans in schools and libraries and engages local activists in promoting the freedom to read. KRRP has helped defend hundreds of titles, in cases in almost every state in the nation. It was co-founded with the American Booksellers for Free Expression and is supported in part by the Association of American Publishers and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. In addition to our casework, KRRP spearheads a collaborative effort to oppose the growing trend to “red flag” and label books like movies and video games.
Report Censorship
If you believe that you have experienced or witnessed an incident of censorship, please let us know! We take on new cases everyday. Use this form to tell us your story.
Free Expression Network
The Free Expression Network (FEN) is an alliance of organizations dedicated to protecting the First Amendment right of free expression and the values it represents, and to opposing governmental efforts to suppress constitutionally-protected speech. FEN members provide a wide range of expertise, resources and services to policymakers, the media, scholars, and the public at large.
