UNC celebrated its second annual First Amendment Day yesterday, and as predicted, it was an absolute smasheroo. The day began with the weather exercising its freedom of expression with sheets of rain, but only a few of the events were shifted inside before the drizzling tapered off.
The events kicked off with a planting of a symbolic Liberty Tree next to Carroll Hall on UNC’s main campus and continued throughout the day. With performances by a cappella groups, documentary screenings, talks from various visitors, and panels of visitors from organizations such as FIRE (the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education), there was a something for everyone to enjoy. Take a look at some of the photos highlighting the day!
Holden Thorp reads from his favorite banned book, A Catcher in the RyeA display of banned books in Bull's Head Book ShopOne of the posters that speckled buildings throughout campus, all displaying various quotations about free expression
Check out even more photos!
The Park Library in Carroll Hall displayed a few more censored booksA panel with representatives from UNC's College Libertarians, The Pope Center for Higher Education Policy, and FIREPossibly the best decor in Carroll Hall, home to the School of Journalism and Mass CommunicationThis year's Liberty Tree. In spite of soggy grounds, the new tree stood strong!Posters displaying several cases of recently murdered journalistsThe Ultimate CensorshipDr. Cathy Packer, a journalism professor and faculty head of The Center for Media Law and Policy, as well as the founder of UNC's First Amendment DayFrank LoMonte, the execute director of the Student Press Law Center, gave the keynote speech at First Amendment Day. He encouraged journalism students to exercise their First Amendment rights as both the present and future of journalism.
