New First Amendment coursebook released — and you can download a free copy! 

“First Things First: A Modern Coursebook on Free Speech Fundamentals” is now available for free through September 9!

“First Things First” will leave readers with the knowledge they need to be active, inquisitive, and resilient citizens. 

This new digital coursebook, written by First Amendment experts and professors Ronald K. L. Collins, Will Creeley, and David L. Hudson, Jr. (with myself as the managing editor), provides readers with the fundamentals of modern American free speech law in a clear, concise, and accessible manner. 

“First Things First” also introduces readers to First Amendment issues, such as student speech, campaign finance, freedom of the press, civil rights, LGBTQ rights, advertising, music censorship, and artificial intelligence. Designed for undergraduate students, the text contains scores of audio and video links, photographs, and helpful study-aid summaries and questions breathe life into free speech jurisprudence. 

Beyond providing students with a breakdown of modern free speech law, “First Things First” prepares students for free speech dilemmas they may face in future careers in areas such as journalism, public service, education, music, and advertising. “First Things First” will leave readers with the knowledge they need to be active, inquisitive, and resilient citizens. 

 To claim a free advance copy of “First Things First”, visit thefire.org/firstthingsfirst before September 9. On September 9, the book will be available for purchase for just $2.99 from digital book providers, including Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple Books, and Google Play.

Whether you’re a professor who wants an affordable resource to assign, a student who is curious about how First Amendment history affects your everyday life, or are just interested in learning why free speech is so important to American culture, “First Things First” is here to help.