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A RUSA Outstanding Reference Source 2023

This annotated document collection surveys the history and evolution of laws and attitudes regarding free speech and censorship in the United States, with a special emphasis on contemporary events and controversies related to the First Amendment.

The United States' collective understanding of First Amendment freedoms was formed by more than 200 years of tensions between the power of word and the power of the government. During that time, major laws and legal decisions defined the circumstances and degree to which personal expression could be rightfully expressed--and rightfully limited.

This struggle to define the parameters of free speech continues today. Vibrant and passionate debates about First Amendment limitations once inspired by the dissemination of birth control information now address such issues as kneeling during the national anthem, removing controversial books from public libraries, attempts by the Trump administration to discredit the press, and disseminating false or hateful information through social media platforms. By exploring diverse examples of censorship victories and triumphs of free expression, readers will better understand the enormous impact of First Amendment freedoms on American society.

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Library Journal Review

Freedom of speech--and its nemesis, censorship--has been a topic of vital importance and concern to the United States ever since 1791, when the Founders included it as part of the First Amendment to the Constitution. Freedom of speech is still a concern, as books continue to be banned from school curricula or removed from school libraries, and as peaceful protestors are arrested. Here Eastman (Shaping the Immigration Debate) explores the subject in detail. In six chronological sections, she collects 56 key documents, including pertinent Supreme Court decisions as well as dissenting opinions and amicus briefs; lawsuits and decisions in state courts; letters; and even tweets (a selection of former president Donald Trump's regarding the NFL National Anthem controversy). Basic information is included about each document--its date of publication or creation, its source, and its significance--and Eastman also offers an analysis of each document's historical context and impact. Some extremely lengthy documents are carefully abridged, with their key points and meaning maintained. An extensive bibliography and index conclude the book. VERDICT An important addition to any reference collection.--Marcia Welsh

Booklist Review

This well-curated collection of fifty primary source documents is critically relevant to contemporary America. Each document is accompanied by thorough, scholarly annotation, and coverage includes work from 1776 through 2021. Documents are arranged in broadly chronological chapters including censorship in early America, significant rulings of the 1950s through 1980s, culture wars beginning in the late twentieth century, the place of the First Amendment post-9/11, and the Trump presidency. Primary source documents offer powerful firsthand evidence of the evolution of controversial issues. In 1891, censorship champion Anthony Comstock wrote a North American Review editorial excoriating publishers of what he called shocking "Vampire Literature." At a 1993 congressional hearing, Senator Joe Lieberman accused developers of the Mortal Kombat video game of teaching children to "enjoy inflicting the most gruesome forms of cruelty imaginable" by encouraging players to kill opponents by removing their heads and spines. This is a solid reference source, suitable for introducing students to primary source research. It deserves shelf space in academic library collections and in secondary school libraries frequented by students with an interest in historical investigation.

Notas de autor provistas por Syndetics

Cari Lee Skogberg Eastman, PhD, is a communication scholar currently working as an independent researcher and writer.