“To suppress free speech is a double wrong. It violates the rights of the hearer as well as those of the speaker. It is just as criminal to rob a man of his right to speak and hear as it would be to rob him of his money…” Frederick Douglass, “A Plea for Free Speech in Boston,” 1860
Black History Month is a time to reflect on the contributions that African-Americans make and have made to American society and to recognize the numerous struggles that define the African-American experience in America.
Much of Black History Month understandably focuses on well-known movements, incidents and individuals to tell the story. However, what is often times overlooked is the role played by free speech and free expression in civil rights, politics, art and entertainment in the shaping of black history and, by extension, American history.
Stay tuned to Blogging Censorship as we take a memory journey this week, recognizing African-American voices that have been stifled by those who would silence their message.
What to learn more about censorship incidents today and throughout history? Visit Censorpedia.
