In-person or Online
Join us in-person in the Lewes Public Library or online a conversation between Ron Collins and Stephen D. Solomon, author of Revolutionary Dissent: How the Founding Generation Created the Freedom of Speech.
When members of the founding generation protested against British authority, debated separation, and then ratified the Constitution, they formed the American political character we know today - raucous, intemperate, and often mean-spirited. Revolutionary Dissent brings alive a world of colorful and stormy protests that included effigies, pamphlets, songs, sermons, cartoons, letters, and liberty trees. Solomon explores through a series of chronological narratives how Americans of the Revolutionary period employed robust speech against the British and against each other. Uninhibited dissent provided a distinctly American meaning to the First Amendment's guarantees of freedom of speech and press at a time when the legal doctrine inherited from England allowed prosecutions of those who criticized government. Solomon shares the stories of the dissenters who created the American idea of the liberty of thought, revealing the history of free expression in America.
Stephen D. Solomon is Marjorie Deane Professor of Journalism at New York University, where he teaches First Amendment law. He is founding editor of First Amendment Watch, which covers current conflicts over freedom of expression and provides legal and historical context. He served as Director of NYU's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute from 2020 to 2023. Solomon has written for The New York Times Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The New Republic, Fortune, and other major publications and has earned several national journalism awards. He holds a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. from Pennsylvania State University. He is the author of Ellery's Protest and the coauthor of Building 6: The Tragedy at Bridesburg.
Ron Collins is a retired law professor, co-founder of the History Book Festival, and the Lewes Public Library’s Distinguished Lecturer. His latest book is Tragedy on Trial: The Story of the Infamous Emmett Till Murder Trial.
Browseabout Books will offer copies of the book for sale during the event. The author will sign copies afterwards.
Each individual attending in-person must register to reserve a seat. For assistance with registration, contact the library during business hours.
This event is free and open to the public.
Location: Lewes Public Library
