Stephen D. Solomon is Marjorie Deane Professor of Journalism at New York University, where he teaches First Amendment law. He is founding editor of First Amendment Watch, which covers current conflicts over freedom of expression and provides legal and historical context. He is author of Revolutionary Dissent: How the Founding Generation Created the Freedom of Speech. He served as Director of NYU's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute from 2020 to 2023.
Steve has written for The New York Times Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The New Republic, Fortune, and other major publications and has earned several national journalism awards. Solomon holds a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. from Pennsylvania State University. He is the author of Ellery's Protest and the coauthor of Building 6: The Tragedy at Bridesburg. Read more about Stephen here.
The Birth of Freedom of Speech in America
Revolutionary Dissent: How the Founding Generation Created the Freedom of Speech, was published by St. Martin's Press on April 26, 2016. It explores how the raucous political debate of the founding period gave meaning to the First Amendment freedoms of speech and press. From Limbaugh to Colbert, robust political speech is rooted in our nation's birth. This is the story of how America's founding generation forged our right to freedom of expression.
"Solomon's compelling stories of the raucous political speech of the founding generation give us a ringside seat to the protest rallies, provocative cartoons and clever rhetoric that forever embedded freedom of expression in our national character. Revolutionary Dissent is a must-read for all who want to understand the birth of free speech and press in America and how essential it is to continue protecting these freedoms in our democracy." ––Nadine Stossen, John Marshall Harlan II Professor, New York Law School and past president, ACLU