Free Speech

Protecting all North Carolinians' right to free speech and expression is at the heart of the ACLU of North Carolina's mission. It is the foundation of a vibrant democracy, and without it, other fundamental rights, like the right to vote, would wither away.

Protesters at the Moral March in Raleigh

Freedom of speech, the press, association, assembly, and petition: This set of guarantees, protected by the First Amendment, comprises what we refer to as freedom of expression. It is the foundation of a vibrant democracy, and without it, other fundamental rights, like the right to vote, would wither away.

Protecting all North Carolinians' right to free speech and expression is at the heart of the ACLU of North Carolina's mission. In 1965, the organization was founded to aid University of North Carolina students in their protest against the Speaker Ban, a law that forbade so-called "radicals" from speaking at state universities. In 1968, a court delivered the ACLU of North Carolina one of our first victories when it ruled that the Speaker Ban violated North Carolinians' free speech rights.

The ACLU-NC has continued to protect individuals' right to free speech and expression, even when people's opinions are controversial or unpopular. Since our founding, the ACLU-NC has defended the free speech rights of North Carolinians from across the spectrum -- from civil rights activists to Ku Klux Klan members -- in order to ensure that the First Amendment protects us all.

We also work to champion freedom of expression in its myriad forms—whether through protest, media, online speech, or the arts—in the face of new threats to free speech.

The Latest

Press Release
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Cleveland County School Board Settles in Student First Amendment Case

The ACLU of North Carolina has agreed to a settlement in M.K. v. Fisher, a lawsuit filed in February 2025, alleging that the Cleveland County Board of Education violated students’ rights under the First Amendment and the Equal Access Act.
Court Cases: M.K. v. Stephen Fisher
Resource
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Cleveland County Demand Letter

Press Release
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Plaintiffs in Asheville Park Bans Case Sign Settlement Agreement with City of Asheville

Plaintiffs in Norris v. Asheville, represented by the ACLU of North Carolina, have signed a settlement agreement with the City of Asheville.  
Press Release
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ACLU of North Carolina Responds to Governor Cooper’s Veto of House Bill 237

Reighlah Collins, Policy Counsel for the ACLU of North Carolina, shared a statement on Governor Cooper’s decision to veto House Bill 237.
Court Case
Mar 11, 2025

Dames, et al v. Roberts, et al

Court Case
Feb 05, 2025

M.K. v. Stephen Fisher

Court Case
Nov 02, 2020

Drumwright, et al. v. Cole, et al.

Court Case
Aug 03, 2020

ACLU of North Carolina v Charlotte (Public Records)

On August 13, 2020, Mecklenburg Superior Court Judge Casey Viser made a preliminary decision not to compel the immediate release of public records. We will continue to fight to ensure these records are eventually made public.