First Amendment Speaker Series features journalist who was jailed protecting First Amendment Rights

Josh Wolf, an independent journalist, filmmaker and activist recognized for his fearless commitment to press freedom and innovation in digital media, will speak to students about First Amendment rights during the second annual Tyler Weymouth First Amendment Speaker Series. The event, presented by the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, will be held on Monday, March 24, at 7 p.m. at Galbreath Chapel on the Athens campus. 

School Director Eddith Dashiell says there couldn’t be a better time for Wolf to come to campus.

“The First Amendment is under serious attack. I don’t think we ever seriously thought that the United States could one day abandon the principles of the First Amendment. But that is exactly what is happening in the 21st century, and this topic should be of serious concern for every young journalist as well as every citizen of the United States,” said Dashiell. “Too many Americans don’t realize that any attempt to silence journalists will eventually be used to silence them.”

In 2006, Wolf made headlines as the journalist jailed for 226 days — the longest in U.S. history — for refusing to hand over unpublished protest footage to federal authorities. He was still a student when he made the decision to protect the collection of videotapes he recorded during a July 2005 demonstration in San Francisco. Police wanted the videotapes because they were investigating people who injured an officer and set fire to a police cruiser. Wolf was held in contempt and placed in jail to "encourage" him to cooperate with the court. This act of defiance solidified Wolf’s reputation as a staunch advocate for journalistic integrity and the protection of constitutional rights.

“I hope this event will inspire our students to be better journalists and to have the courage to defend First Amendment rights for all journalists and everyone else,” said Dashiell. “Through the First Amendment series and in our classes, the journalism faculty are committed to training students to respect and support the rights and responsibilities outlined in the First Amendment. Based on current events, it is important for journalism students to help preserve the First Amendment rights of everyone and fight against government censorship. The U.S. journalism industry depends on it. Our democracy depends on it.”

The Tyler Weymouth First Amendment Speaker Series started last year with speaker Mary Beth Tinker, who was one of the plaintiffs in the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark “black arm bands” case—Tinker v. Des Moines School District (1969)—which has been considered a major First Amendment victory for student free speech rights. 

The Tyler Weymouth First Amendment Speaker Series is presented by the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism through a generous donation from the Revada Foundation, based in Washington, D.C.  Weymouth graduated from Ohio University with a Bachelor of Specialized Studies degree in 2011. He was a projectionist at The Athena Cinema, and that experience helped prepare him for his career as a broadcast engineer at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.  At the Newseum, Weymouth worked with Andrew Logan, who graduated from Ohio University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Communication degree. The two hadn’t met until they began working together at the Newseum. Weymouth died unexpectedly in July 2014 from a metastatic melanoma. Logan’s family, who operates the Revada Foundation, established the speaker series to focus on First Amendment rights and especially those rights for college students.

The personal opinions expressed within this article do not necessarily represent the views of Ohio University.