Civil Rights Speeches

Here in his own words are the revolutionary ideas that made Malcolm X one of the most charismatic and influential African-American leaders of the 1960s. These speeches document Malcolm's progression from Black nationalism to internationalism, and are key to both understanding his extraordinary life and illuminating his angry yet uplifting cause.

For over 50 years, Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., a Baptist minister, activist, and organizer, has worked for civil rights, peace, and the promise of true democracy. From his years in the Civil Rights movement, his work as founder of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, and as an international ambassador for human rights, he has left an indelible impression on the history of our time. These speeches and sermons include the famous speeches he delivered at the Democratic Party conventions of 1984 and 1988 following his historic campaigns for the presidential nomination.

The president of Princeton, a constitutional scholar, reveals how colleges are getting free speech on campuses right and how they can do better to nurture civil discourse and foster mutual respect Conversations about higher education teem with accusations that American colleges and universities...

The Words That Shook the World: 50 Speeches That Defined History "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat." "I have a dream." "Tear down this wall." Behind every great movement, every monumental shift in human rights, and every triumph of the human spirit, there is a voice. From the sun-drenched amphitheatres of Ancient Greece to the digital stages of the 21st century, The Words That Shook the World brings together the most consequential oratory ever delivered. This isn't just a list of speeches—it’s a journey through the hinge points of history. You will stand in the ...

Can free speech coexist with an inclusive campus environment? Hardly a week goes by without another controversy over free speech on college campuses. On one side, there are increased demands to censor hateful, disrespectful, and bullying expression and to ensure an inclusive and nondiscriminatory learning environment. On the other side are traditional free speech advocates who charge that recent demands for censorship coddle students and threaten free inquiry.

The Practical Guide to Free Speech turns one of America’s most misunderstood freedoms into an engaging, surprisingly fun exploration of how the First Amendment actually works. Imagine a world where an off-color joke or unpopular opinion could land you in jail. For most of human history, that wasn’t imagination — it was reality. The First Amendment changed everything.

The Civil Rights Movement in America is a broad term for the movement in the mid-20th century among and for the African American community in pursuit of equal protection and rights under the law. In reality, it began much earlier than the 1950s and continues until this day. What is more, it was about so much more than the extension of universal rights; the Civil Rights Movement is about the story of the long struggle to overcome the legacies of slavery and racism. It is a story of triumph over adversity and perseverance in the face of great hardship.

Words shape laws. They justify force. They decide who is protected and who is punished. In this installment of the Letter to America series, a U.S. Navy Veteran examines how powerful terms like domestic terrorist, threat, and extremist have expanded in meaning, and why that expansion matters to every citizen. This short, reflective letter explores: How legal definitions can be stretched through interpretation Why permitted actions like protesting or lawful carry can still result in punishment The growing gap between rights on paper and rights in practice What happens when language is used ...

Christopher M. Finan received Eli M. Oboler Memorial Award for 2008. The award is presented for the best published work in the area of intellectual freedom. Eligible books were published between 2006 and 2007. In 1919, Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer launched a government roundup of...

Crafted by some of the greatest minds in history, in this audiobook, you’ll find work by arguably the most famous Founding Fathers and Presidents of the United States, including Abraham Lincoln, James Madison, and Thomas Jefferson.

Noam Chomsky’s backpocket classic on wartime propaganda and opinion control begins by asserting two models of democracy—one in which the public actively participates, and one in which the public is manipulated and controlled. According to Chomsky, "propaganda is to democracy as the bludgeon...

When the United States government passed the Bill of Rights in 1791, its uncompromising protection of speech and of the press were unlike anything the world had ever seen before. But by 1798, the once-dazzling young republic of the United States was on the verge of collapse. Suddenly, the First Amendment, which protected harsh commentary of the weak government, no longer seemed as practical. So that July, President John Adams and the Federalists in control of Congress passed an extreme piece of legislation that made criticism of the government and its leaders a crime.

Free speech as we know it comes less from the First Amendment than from a most unexpected source: Supreme Court justice Oliver Wendell Holmes. A lifelong skeptic, he disdained all individual rights, including the right to express one's political views. But in 1919, it was Holmes who wrote a dissenting opinion that would become the canonical affirmation of free speech in the United States.

"The Dream Still Lives: A Commemorative History of Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement" is an insightful and powerful tribute to the life and legacy of one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. Written by experts in the field, this book delves into Martin Luther King Jr.'s message of nonviolence, equality, and his leadership in the Civil Rights Movement. The book examines the Civil Rights Movement's significant legislative changes, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which helped to put an end to discriminatory voting ...

"Ask not what your country can do for you..." Get 100 of John F. Kennedy's most inspiring quotes on courage, service, and freedom. Discover the enduring wisdom of JFK's "New Frontier" and transform your perspective on leadership and responsibility.

What happens when free speech isn’t cancelled by governments, but by hashtags, algorithms, and tutting strangers on Twitter? Shhh! You’re Offended: The Death (and Afterlife) of Free Speech is a brilliantly funny and biting satire of outrage culture, cancel mobs, and the absurd lengths we now go to just to avoid offending anyone. British satirist Arthur Rantwell takes listeners on a laugh-out-loud journey through the minefield of modern conversation, where every opinion is a potential scandal and every apology is a performance worthy of the West End.

When Freedom Speaks chronicles the stories behind our First Amendment right to speak our minds. Lynn Levine Greenky's background as a lawyer, rhetorician, and teacher gives her a unique perspective on the protection we have from laws that abridge our right to the freedom of speech. Powerfully employing that rhetorical approach, this book explores concepts related to free speech as moral narratives that proscribe the boundaries of our constitutionally protected right.

The speeches of film legend Sidney Poitier—given at commencement addresses, awards shows, memorials, and more, on topics ranging from entertainment history to filmmaking, civil rights, and parenthood—come to vibrant life in this inspirational and stunningly packaged volume from the Poitier...

Decades before the impeachment of an American president for a similar offense, Angelo Herndon was charged under Georgia law with "attempting to incite insurrection"—a crime punishable by death. In 1932, the eighteen-year-old Black Communist Party organizer was arrested and had his room illegally searched and his radical literature seized. Charged under an old slave insurrection statute, Herndon was convicted by an all-white jury and sentenced to eighteen to twenty years on a chain gang.

A sweeping look back at the protest movements that changed America from activist and NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, with personal and historical insights into lessons they can teach us today “A compelling case for standing up for justice at a time when everything, it seems, is on the line...