The Alabama Law Review will host a symposium to mark the 50th anniversary of New York Times v. Sullivan on February 28, 2014, at The University of Alabama School of Law.
New York Times v. Sullivan is one of the most important cases in the history of First Amendment jurisprudence. Famously described by a noted First Amendment scholar at the time as “an occasion for dancing in the streets,” the decision in New York Times v. Sullivan constitutionalized the law of libel, recognizing a dramatic breadth of freedom to criticize public officials for their conduct; in so doing, it had a significant impact on both freedom of speech and freedom of the press, one that has been debated ever since. As a historical matter, moreover, the case was intimately connected to the history of the civil rights movement, particularly within the state of Alabama.
Our speakers include some of the nation’s foremost experts on both the history and law concerning New York Times v. Sullivan. They include Professor David A. Anderson, University of Texas School of Law; Judge U.W. Clemon, Northern District of Alabama; Professor RonNell Andersen Jones, BYU Law School; Judge Robert Sack, Second Circuit Court of Appeals; Professor Chris Schmidt, ITT Chicago-Kent College of Law; Professor Mark Tushnet, Harvard Law School; and Professor Sonya West, The University of Georgia School of Law.
The event is open to the public and begins at 8:00 a.m. in room A255 in the law school. Those wishing to attend must register by February 21. Go to www.law.ua.edu/register to register for the symposium.
Schedule:
8:00 – 8:05 Welcome & Introduction
Paul Horwitz, Gordon Rosen Professor of Law, The University of Alabama
8:05 – 8:15 Opening Remarks
David A. Anderson, Fred & Emily Marshall Wulff Centennial Chair in Law, University of Texas School of Law
8:15-9:00 Session I
Judge U.W. Clemon, Northern District of Alabama (ret.) and Partner, White, Arnold & Dowd
9:00-10:00 Session II
Mark Tushnet, William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Law, Harvard Law School
10:00-10:20 Break
10:20-11:20 Session III
Sonja West, Associate Professor of Law, University of Georgia School of Law
11:20-12:45 Session IV Lunch & Keynote Address
Judge Robert Sack, Second Circuit Court of Appeals
12:45-1:05 Break
1:05-2:05 Session V
David A. Anderson, Fred & Emily Marshall Wulff Centennial Chair in Law, University of Texas School of Law
2:05-3:05 Session VI
Professor RonNell Andersen Jones, Associate Professor of Law, Brigham Young University Law School
3:05-3:15 Break
3:15-4:15 Session VII
Christopher Schmidt, Assistant Professor of Law, Chicago-Kent College of Law
4:15-4:45 Closing Remarks
David A. Anderson, Fred & Emily Marshall Wulff Centennial Chair in Law, University of Texas School of Law
For questions regarding the symposium, please contact Brenda McPherson: bmcpherson@law.ua.edu
