Libraries & Democracy: A History of Censorship, Book Bans, & the First Amendment

Censorship is on the rise within the United States and in Massachusetts. There is a surge of individual challenges to books held by school and public libraries, and a proliferation of legislative action across the country to shape and limit the content of school libraries and course curriculum. Join Jocelyn Kennedy, a lawyer and librarian, to explore the history of government censorship within the United States, discuss the legal limits of censorship, and develop an understanding of the role the First Amendment plays in protecting the freedom to read.

Jocelyn Kennedy is the Executive Director of the Farmington Libraries in Farmington, Connecticut. Jocelyn has served as Executive Director of the Harvard Law School Library, Director of Library Services at the UConn Law Library, and as a research librarian at the University of Michigan Law Library.

Led by HKS Library & Research Services, the Libraries & Democracy initiative is built on the recognition that libraries are critical to a thriving democracy. Libraries enable the free exchange of ideas among all members of a community, coupling universal access to lifelong learning with space for gathering and genuine interaction. They serve as key nodes of civic engagement, doubling as polling places, connecting patrons with government services, and hosting community forums on polarizing topics. In an information-driven society grappling with questions of trust, inequity, and polarization, libraries offer the tools for exploration and connection. The Libraries & Democracy initiative gives HKS community members opportunities to meaningfully engage with these ideas and practices through events, collaborations, visual media, and beyond.

Light refreshments will be served. A reception will follow the lecture.