The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will celebrate its Sixteenth First Amendment Day on Wednesday, October 8, 2025.
This campus-wide, daylong series of events is designed to both celebrate the First Amendment and explore its role in the lives of Carolina students. Students and other members of the university community will read from banned books and discuss the public university’s special role as a marketplace of ideas and the need to be tolerant when others exercise their rights. As always, First Amendment Day is observed during National Banned Books Week.
To check out past First Amendment Day events, please use the links on the right.
First Amendment Day is organized by the UNC Center for Media Law and Policy and is truly one of the highlights of the year for the UNC community.
2025 First Amendment Day Events
Banned Books Reading
Front steps of Manning Hall
10:30 am - 12:00 pm
We’re still censoring books in 2025? Yes! And it means a lot more than taking books off the shelves of libraries and schools. It also means that our constitutionally-guaranteed right to read under the First Amendment is under attack.
Stand Up for the Freedom to Read: Join Us for a Public Reading of Banned Books
Hosted in collaboration with the School of Information and Library Science (SILS) and the University Libraries, this event celebrates our essential First Amendment rights through the power of literature.
Experience:
- Live readings from banned and challenged books by Carolina community members
- Interactive button-making station celebrating literary freedom
- Special collection of banned books available for checkout
- Discussions about the impact of censorship on democracy
Banned Books Week, which takes place this year from October 5th through October 11th, was created as a response to censorship and to highlight the necessity of free and open access to information. This year’s theme is “Censorship Is So 1984. Read for Your Rights.”
Help defend the freedom to read. Because when books are under attack, democracy is too.
This event is part of UNC’s First Amendment Day and is free and open to the public. Students can earn Campus Life Experience (CLE) credit.
AI in the Newsroom: Promise, Peril, and Responsibility
Freedom Forum Conference Center on the Third Floor of Carroll Hall
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how newsrooms work — from research and reporting to editing, production, and audience engagement. This panel brings together journalists and media leaders to explore how AI is influencing the craft and business of news, where it creates new possibilities, and where human judgment remains essential. What does responsible use of AI look like for the future of journalism?
Speakers:
- Lauren Berry, COO, News Product, Technology & Publishing at Bloomberg
- Jay Barchas-Lichtenstein, Ph.D., Senior Research Manager at the Center for News, Technology & Innovation
- Andrew Deck, AI Staff Reporter at Nieman Journalism Lab
- Tyler Dukes, Lead editor for AI innovation in journalism at McClatchy Media
- Marisa Porto, MBA, UNC Knight Chair in Local News and Sustainability
Moderator:
- Jessica Mahone, Ph.D., Director, UNC Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Local Media (CISLM)
This event is part of UNC’s First Amendment Day and is free and open to the public. Students can earn Campus Life Experience (CLE) credit.
Video is available on the Center’s YouTube channel:
UNC Voter Registration Drive
Outside of Davis Library
11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Democracy Starts Here: Quick and Easy Voter Registration at Davis Library
Hosted by the UNC Office of Student Life & Leadership.
In just minutes, you can ensure your voice is heard in the upcoming midterm election.
Trained volunteers will help you:
- Register to vote or update your registration
- Learn about absentee voting options
- Create your personalized voting plan
- Verify your polling location
- Understand voter ID requirements
This is a strictly nonpartisan event focused solely on helping you exercise your right to vote. No political parties, candidates, or ballot initiatives will be promoted.
What to Bring:
- Driver’s license or last 4 digits of SSN
- Current address
- Previous registration address (if applicable)
Your vote matters — rain or shine!
First Amendment Trivia Contest
Freedom Forum Conference Center on the Third Floor of Carroll Hall
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm
What rights are explicitly protected by the First Amendment? Which U.S. Supreme Court Justice said obscenity was difficult to define, but “I know it when I see it?” When is “speech” unprotected by the First Amendment? When can conduct or clothing be protected by the First Amendment?
Enter our trivia contest and test your knowledge of the First Amendment.
In addition to bragging rights, the winner can earn a gift card from a local bookstore, Flyleaf Books!
This event is hosted by Ph.D. student Clay Williams.
This event is part of UNC’s First Amendment Day and is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is not required. Only current UNC students are eligible to win trivia prizes.
Press Freedom and the Marketplace of Ideas
UNC School of Law, Room 5042
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
In an increasingly divided political landscape, threats to the media have never been more prevalent. The decision by Congress this summer to remove Federal funding for public broadcasting has forced broadcasters such as PBS and NPR to make difficult decisions regarding staffing and future programming.
While private media companies are not directly threatened by a potential loss of Federal funding, they face a unique set of challenges from the current administration, whether in the form of lawsuits or FCC regulations.
This one-hour panel will delve into the current and future challenges facing media lawyers, including the free speech and free press implications of government tension with public and private media outlets.
Speakers:
- Teresa Artis, Faculty at the UNC School of Law
- Adam Hochberg, Faculty at the Hussman School of Media and Journalism
- Molly Davis, President and Chief Executive Officer at the Radio Research Consortium
Lunch will be provided!
This event is part of UNC’s First Amendment Day and is free and open to the public.
True Crime Goes Legal: From Podcasts to Streaming Rights
Webinar: https://go.unc.edu/TrueCrime
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
How do you tell a killer’s story without getting killed by lawsuits?
From viral true crime podcasts to Netflix documentaries, the explosion of true crime content has created unprecedented legal challenges. How do content creators protect their rights? What are the boundaries of First Amendment protection in true crime storytelling? When does compelling content cross legal lines?
Join Elizabeth Vulaj, Esq., Head of Legal Affairs at Law&Crime, for an insider’s look at the complex legal landscape of true crime media. Drawing from her extensive experience managing legal rights for major streaming platforms like Netflix, A&E, and Discovery ID, Vulaj reveals the high-stakes decisions behind your favorite true crime content.
Learn how media companies:
- Navigate copyright and First Amendment issues
- Protect content across multiple platforms
- Balance legal risks with compelling storytelling
- Structure distribution deals in the streaming era
- Address emerging challenges in true crime podcasting
Whether you’re a content creator, media professional, or true crime enthusiast, don’t miss this rare glimpse into the legal machinery that powers today’s true crime boom.
This event is part of UNC’s First Amendment Day and is free and open to the public. Registration is required: https://go.unc.edu/TrueCrime. Students can earn Campus Life Experience (CLE) credit.
The Administration of Free Speech: A Conversation with former Provost Clemens
Freedom Forum Conference Center on the Third Floor of Carroll Hall
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Former Provost Chris Clemens will join TransparUNCy for a discussion about some conflicts in higher education and their implications for free speech.
In particular, the discussion will include how debates around the following are affecting the conditions for free speech on our campus:
- DEI
- “institutional neutrality”
- student protest
- tenure
- politicization of university governance
Dr. Clemens will share unique insights from his experience in the UNC administration. And there will be opportunities for public Q&A.
This event is part of UNC’s First Amendment Day and is free and open to the public. Students can earn Campus Life Experience (CLE) credit.
Video is available on the Center’s YouTube channel:
What’s at Stake?: The First Amendment Freedom to Protect Democracy
Freedom Forum Conference Center on the Third Floor of Carroll Hall
2:45 pm - 3:45 pm
In collaboration with the What’s at Stake project, join this timely discussion on the role of First Amendment freedoms in protecting democracy.
The United States is backsliding into what political scientists call “electoral autocracy,” where elections are held but there is not free and fair competition. The President and his party are weaponizing the state to weaken the political opposition and the journalism outlets, media, platforms, and universities that can hold them accountable, including through elections. At such a moment, the First Amendment freedom to produce information and knowledge in the public interest that safeguards democratic elections, processes, and norms is crucial. This panel will provide a clear-eyed, research-based analysis of what is at stake and argue for the right, and responsibility, of media and platforms to serve as democratic gatekeepers and hold elected leaders accountable for eroding checks on their power. At a time when many university administrators and faculty would rather talk about the hypothetical threats of AI than the wolves at the door, panelists will detail the urgency of the existential threats to our shared democratic life, the violent consequences of inaction such as during the attempted coup on January 6th, and the ways that journalism, platforms, and universities must rise to meet the moment and fulfill their obligation of serving the public interest.
Panelists:
- Meredith D. Clark, Associate Professor of Race and Political Communication at UNC School of Journalism and Media; Co-Principal Investigator, UNC Center for Information, Technology, and Public Life
- Shannon C. McGregor, Associate Professor at UNC School of Journalism and Media; Co-Principal Investigator, UNC Center for Information, Technology, and Public Life
- Daniel Kreiss, Edgar Thomas Cato Distinguished Professor at UNC School of Journalism and Media; Faculty Director, Co-Principal Investigator, UNC Center for Information, Technology, and Public Life
- Anika Collier Navaroli, Assistant Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia Journalism School; Reporting Fellow at Tech Policy Press
This event is part of UNC’s First Amendment Day and is free and open to the public. Students can earn Campus Life Experience (CLE) credit.
Video is available on the Center’s YouTube channel:
Faith Matters: Religious Freedom in Society
Webinar: https://go.unc.edu/FaithMatters
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
How do we balance religious freedoms in an increasingly diverse America? The First Amendment seeks to ensure both religious neutrality and free exercise. Yet contemporary debates reveal deep tensions in applying these principles. As religious demographics shift, questions arise about equitable representation and protection for all faith communities in public life. Join leading experts in law, theology, education, and religious liberty as they examine:
- The evolving interpretation of religious freedom in contemporary America
- Challenges and opportunities in protecting diverse religious expressions
- Practical strategies for building an inclusive civic religious culture that honors constitutional principles
This timely discussion will explore possible paths toward ensuring religious liberty for all Americans.
Speakers:
- Suhag A. Shukla, Esq., Executive Director & Co-Founder, Hindu American Foundation (HAF)
- Emile Lester, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Political Science & International Affairs at the University of Mary Washington
- Galen Carey, DMin, Vice President of Government Relations, National Association of Evangelicals (NAE)
- Charles C. Haynes, Ph.D., Senior Fellow for Religious Liberty & Founder of Religious Freedom Center, The Freedom Forum
- Mark A. Chancey, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Religious Studies in Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences at Southern Methodist University
Moderator:
- LaRisa Anderson-Horne, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Communication at the University of Utah
This event is part of UNC’s First Amendment Day and is free and open to the public. Registration is required: https://go.unc.edu/FaithMatters. Students can earn Campus Life Experience (CLE) credit.
Video is available on the Center’s YouTube channel:
Keynote | Free Press, Free Society: Stories from the Field
Freedom Forum Conference Center on the Third Floor of Carroll Hall
5:15 pm - 6:15 pm
What role does journalism play in safeguarding democracy? How are today’s reporters navigating an ever-changing media landscape? Step into the world of modern journalism as our distinguished panel shares firsthand accounts from the field. Join us for a compelling conversation between a First Amendment expert and distinguished journalists as we explore pressing issues, from emerging challenges to defending press freedom.
Featured speakers:
- Laney Crawley, former Editor-in-Chief at The Daily Tar Heel
- Angele Latham, the nation’s first First Amendment reporter at The Tennessean
Moderated by Kevin Goldberg, Esq., Vice President and First Amendment expert at Freedom Forum
This event is part of UNC’s First Amendment Day and is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be available. Students can earn Campus Life Experience (CLE) credit.