The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression is a nonprofit, nonpartisan institution devoted solely to the defense of the

First Amendment First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...

rights guaranteeing

freedom of speech Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. The right to freedom of expression has been recogni ...

and of the press. The center was founded in 1989, under the direction of former

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...

president Robert M. O'Neil. J. Joshua Wheeler succeeded O'Neil as Director of the Center in 2011. The Center manages a number of programs and activities to fulfill its mission, including the drafting of ''

amicus curiae An ''amicus curiae'' (; ) is an individual or organization who is not a party to a legal case, but who is permitted to assist a court by offering information, expertise, or insight that has a bearing on the issues in the case. The decision on ...

'' briefs in support of First Amendment litigants, congressional testimony, educational programs, artistic exhibitions and prizes, and the Jefferson Muzzles awards. The center is located at

Pantops Farm Pantops Farm is a historic house at 400 Peter Jefferson Road near Charlottesville, Virginia. It consists of a Colonial Revival main house, a guest house, and a building resembling a silo in appearance. This complex was designed by Benjamin Char ...

, a property in

Charlottesville, Virginia Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is the county seat of Albemarle County, which surrounds the city, though the two are separate legal entities. It is named after Queen Ch ...

that was once owned personally by Jefferson, and is now owned by the

. The center has close ties to the University of Virginia, but it is not officially affiliated. It was founded with initial contributions from ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' and Worrell Enterprises Inc. In addition to its Muzzle Awards, it sponsors the

William J. Brennan, Jr. William Joseph "Bill" Brennan Jr. (April 25, 1906 – July 24, 1997) was an American lawyer and jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1956 to 1990. He was the List of United States Supreme Cou ...

, Award, which recognizes those persons showing extraordinary devotion to the principles of free speech. It honors the former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

External links

Official website

References

University of Virginia Non-profit organizations based in Charlottesville, Virginia Freedom of expression organizations 1989 establishments in Virginia Thomas Jefferson Freedom of speech in the United States {{US-poli-stub