History and current work[edit]
Independence Day marks the birth of the Freedom Forum, which grew out of the Frank E. Gannett Newspaper Foundation, established by the newspaper publisher in Rochester, N.Y., in 1935.[2] After Al Neuharth became Gannett's chief executive officer in 1973, the company became the nation's largest newspaper chain. The foundation also grew. From 1977 through 1989, it provided nearly $27 million in grants — more than $72 million in 2021 dollars — to further journalism-related education, nonprofits, professional organizations, diversity and other initiatives.[2]
In 1989, the foundation relocated to Arlington, Va., overlooking Washington, D.C., and in 1991 became the Freedom Forum, with a mission to foster First Amendment freedoms.[2] Over the next decade, the organization undertook several global initiatives to honor journalists and advance free press, including a television segment and a media studies center.[2][6]
On April 18, 1997, the Freedom Forum opened the Newseum in Arlington, Va., to help the media and the public understand each other better with news-related artifacts, interactive exhibits, theaters, engaging programs and an education center.[2][3] After welcoming 2.25 million visitors over five years,[7] the Arlington Newseum closed in March 2002, to plan for its new location in Washington, D.C. From 2000-2019[2] the Freedom Forum continued its journalistic and entrepreneurial approach to educating the public on First Amendment freedoms by establishing its flagship programs.[2][3][1]
In 2011, the Education Department launched the Digital Classroom website with support from the Ford Foundation.[2] This marked the first step in making Newseum content available online to educators everywhere, with lesson plans and videos based on Newseum collections.[2] Later revamped as NewseumED, the Freedom Forum's ongoing digital education offerings reach more than 11 million students, educators, and lifelong learners around the globe.[2]
In 2016, the Freedom Forum kicked off its first annual Free Expression Awards ceremony to honor dedication to the freedoms of the First Amendment.[8][2] Honorees include journalists, activists, athletes, politicians, attorneys, clerics, media executives and others who have made a difference by exercising their First Amendment freedoms.[2][9][8]
In 2018, in response to sex abuse scandals involving major media figures, the Freedom Forum dba Newseum convened the Power Shift Summit, seeking solutions-based alternatives for employees facing abuse and emphasizing the need for diversity and inclusiveness in America's newsrooms.[2][10] The summit launched the Power Shift Project, with grant funding from CBS[10] to implement its Workplace Integrity Training program, designed to produce workplaces free of harassment, discrimination and incivility, and filled with opportunity, especially for those who have traditionally been denied it.[2][5]
In 2020, Freedom Forum and Library of Congress celebrated the availability to researchers of more than 250 boxes of papers Al Neuharth donated to the library in 2005.[2] The papers chronicle Al Neuharth's life and career as a journalist, media executive, founder of USA TODAY, First Amendment champion with Gannett Co., the Gannett Foundation, the Freedom Forum and the Newseum.[2]
Divisions and impact[edit]
The Freedom Forum is the nation's foremost advocate for First Amendment freedoms.[1] Each year, it engages thousands of Americans on the freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition through debates with engaging expert content, conversations, and digital storytelling.[1] It surveys Americans annually about their First Amendment rights and organizes events and other content to showcase "champions of free expression."[1]
The Power Shift Project is a training initiative designed to improve the quality and future of journalism by improving the diversity, equity and culture of news organizations.[5] The project's goal is workplace integrity, defined as "environments free of harassment, discrimination and incivility, and filled with opportunity, especially for those who have traditionally been denied it."[5] The Power Shift Project offers training specifically for media organizations and journalism classrooms.[5] The curriculum is built around four pillars: critical thinking, courageous conversations, qualifying as an ally, and cultures of respect and trust.[5]
Today's Front Pages is a daily curation of front pages from newspapers across any town in America. Hosted through an online application, editors from small towns and major metros upload their papers' cover pages.[1][3] The program is one of the most digitally-visited collections the organization hosts.[11][12] The Freedom Forum has made the page available for mobile download in order to "get hundreds of front pages on your phone or tablet, locate a newspaper by name or location using the map view, and create a list of 'favorites' for easy access."[13][1][12]
Where America Stands provides data insights on Americans' views of the First Amendment. Respondent answers to more than 200 questions provide a deep and detailed picture of how people agree and differ on the relevance today of the freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition guaranteed by the First Amendment.[14]
The Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference is an annual opportunity for high school juniors to receive a $1,000 college scholarship.[15] The program was established in 1999 to honor Al Neuharth, founder of The Freedom Forum and USA TODAY.[15][3] The conference is designed to inspire and encourage students to pursue journalism careers and become people who "dream, dare, do."[15] Free Spirit alumni include journalists working for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, ESPN and network-affiliated TV stations.[15][3]
The Freedom Forum produces a variety of educational content distributed on YouTube such as the First Five Express,[16] First Five Now,[16] First Five Live,[16] and First Amendment Fast Facts.[16] In 2022, the organization released a short-form documentary, "Murfreesboro: One Mosque's First Amendment Fight to Worship"[17] consisting of interviews about the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro's First Amendment legal action against discrimination from their community.[18][16]
The annual Free Expression Awards have run since 2016, "honoring champions of free expression for exercising their rights to express themselves, spark conversations and inspire action."[8][3] Its guest speakers and award recipients have included Tim Cook, Ava DuVernay, John Lewis, General Colin Powell, Pussy Riot, Eric Treene, and Judy Woodruff.[9] Freedom Forum's First Amendment Festival is an annual all-ages gathering of "fun, freedom and fellowship," aimed at exploring First Amendment conversations, games, and classroom sessions.[19]
The Freedom Forum's Newseum Collection hosts a curation of Ted Polumbaum photos made available for licensing. Photographs in this online exhibit examine three specific areas: the early political career of Sen. Edward Kennedy from 1958 to 1969; the events of Freedom Summer in 1964; and his coverage of historic moments and extraordinary people.[20]