This event is SOLD OUT. You may still be able to obtain tickets by showing up to the Museum on 10/11 any time after 5:00 pm and putting your name on a wait list. Tickets that are unclaimed when the event begins at 5:30 pm will be released to those on the wait list on a first come, first served basis.

The Public Square at the IHC, in partnership with the Freedom Museum, presents a City-Wide Cafe Society discussion about the American tradition of First Amendment rights and the increase of self-censorship among journalists. This program includes free admission to the interactive Freedom Museum and a provocative lecture by Chicago-based author and activist Jamie Kalven. Afterward, join in on a rousing, moderated discussion with other community members.

Jamie Kalven brings an unusual perspective to First Amendment issues. Early in his career, he spent more than a decade completing A Worthy Tradition: Freedom of Speech in America (1988), an intellectual history of the First Amendment. Jamie’s father, Harry Kalven Jr., a constitutional scholar at the University of Chicago, was working on the manuscript at the time of his death in 1974.

More recently, Kalven found himself at the center of a free speech controversy. In connection with a federal civil rights suit arising out of his reporting on allegations of police brutality, the City of Chicago subpoenaed his notes and other documents. After he refused to comply, the City moved to have him held in contempt. The case is pending in federal district court.

Reservations are recommended to ensure admission and can be made at events@thepublicsquare.org or 312.422.5580.

For more information, please contact The Public Square at the IHC at 312.422.5580.