The Challenge of Free Speech in Kansas: Then and Now

In conjunction with two exhibitions that explore the imprisonment of Japanese Americans during WW II, this program will consider the importance of free speech and a free press in times of turmoil. A short documentary on William Allen White’s 1923 Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial, “To An Anxious Friend” will be screened. Panelists will discuss freedom of the press and its role in democracy:
· Kathrine Walker Schlageck, senior educator at the museum, will describe the role of William Allen White in selecting John Steuart Curry to paint murals in the Kansas State House.
· Stephen Wolgast, A.Q. Miller School of Journalism/Collegian Media Group, Kansas State University
· Ned Seaton, Publisher and Editor in Chief, Manhattan Mercury
· Max McCoy, associate professor of Journalism at Emporia State University
The Pulitzer Project in Kansas: William Allen White and Freedom of Speech is a joint venture of the Kansas Humanities Council, the Pulitzer Prizes Board, and the Federation of State Humanities Councils in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Pulitzer Prizes.