How Free Speech Saved Democracy: The Untold History of How the First Amendment Became an Essential Tool for Securing Liberty and Social Justice

by Christopher M. Finan, Randall Kennedy (Foreword)

“A historical demonstration of the indispensability of the First Amendment [and] … an earnest and timely argument for [its] enduring value.”  —Kirkus Reviews "Great storytelling about the history and importance of the First Amendment, from someone who has spent his life defending — and using — it."  —Mary Beth TinkerFree speech is not an obstacle to it is the way change happensUncovering vivid and engaging stories about First Amendment pioneers, How Free Speech Saved Democracy shows how their struggle made possible the surging protests that aim to expand democracy today.How Free Speech Saved Democracy is a revealing reminder that First Amendment rights have often been curtailed in efforts to block progress, and that current measures to reduce hurtful language and to end hate speech could backfire on those who promote them.To those who see free speech as a threat to democracy, Finan offers engaging evidence from a long and sometimes challenging history of free speech in America to show how free speech has been essential to expanding democracy.From the beginning of American history, free speech has been used to advocate for change. In the 19th century, abolitionists, advocates for women’s rights, and leaders of the labor movement had to fight for free speech. In the 20th century, the civil rights and anti-war movements expanded free speech, creating a shield for every protest movement we see today.Written by a historian who became a full-time defender of civil liberties and has spent four decades advocating for the rights of victims of censorship, this book grew out of Finan’s desire to address the declining support for free speech that is occurring as our country becomes increasingly polarized.Through his evocative storytelling Finan demonstrates how the most effective antidote for the growth of hate speech and violence is support for and cultivation of the robust alternative of free speech.

Genres: Law, History, Nonfiction

192 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 26, 2022

About the author

Chris Finan is executive director of the National Coalition Against Censorship, an alliance of 56 national non-profits that defends free speech. A native of Cleveland he is a graduate of Antioch College. After working as a newspaper reporter, he studied American history at Columbia University, where he received his Ph.D. in 1992.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is misnamed. The focus is really on Social Justice with a link to how Free Speech was a part of it throughout history. This book does provide some very interesting historical details. However, this book is so slanted, it's hard to know how much was left out that didn't fit the narrative. It definitely tries to focus on previous "conservative" efforts to constrain free speech.
I had expected a book that was balanced with examples shown from both sides, that like it or not, free speech is important. So ironic that the many efforts against free speech today are coming from liberals in their current "cancel Culture" mode. Somehow this book didn't address that at all, and also seemed to focus negative views on free speech they didn't like, which seemed contradictory to the value of Free Speech they are purporting to tout.
We are all human, and it is difficult to hear ideas we disagree with, but I do think debate and looking at both sides (which requires free speech) is important to understanding each other. Most often, I find both sides of an issue have both some good points and some bad points.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exactly What It Claims To Be. This is a book written by a “Progressive” (not liberal, there is a difference that is crucial in these discussions) that mostly focuses on using the Progressive dog-whistle of their version of “democracy” and showing how fighting Conservatives has “saved” that version of “democracy”. In other words, a balanced look at the whole of the Free Speech issue in America… this is not. But it also never really claims to be, so it can’t really be faulted for this. It just could have been so much better if it *had* been more balanced and thus more complete. Still, progressives will love this version and even those adamantly opposed to the “Progressive” political agenda will likely find useful knowledge here, potentially even some they were unaware of. Thus, this is recommended.

[Lu Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books gives a lot of information about the fight for actually having free speech in America. It was very fact forward and did not go into in dept analysis. One part focuses on the UCLA helping both the KKK and NCAA because not fighting for everyone to have the freedom of speech takes away from and puts at risk everyone’s right to free speech. Much of the book focused on the puritanical stance of America and how that’s controlled speech. People were jailed for just educating others about birth control in print and the objectiveness of what was obscene. It shows how the first amendment has really been an idea rather than actual policy basically the entire history of the United States because even in modern day censorship and silencing descent and surveillance is a problem we have to keep fighting.

It was well researched. The analysis is limited.

[Tina Panik · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important, timely work that connects our ability to protest in America with our First Amendment rights. Finan’s historical context reminds us to never take this right for granted.