October 2025

 

Greetings,


Happy Fall! Our Constitution Day lecture featuring Jamelle Bouie was a huge success. The upcoming months will bring more outstanding events, including Jonathan Friedman who will discuss book bans and censorship.


Some other exemplary programs that illustrate the diverse range of activities that the Center engages in will follow, so keep an eye on our website.


In this newsletter, you will find information regarding some of our upcoming events. For more information on our programs or for information regarding the Center for the Study of Democracy, please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube, visit our website or send us an email.


Warm regards!



Center for the Study of Democracy

 
 

UPCOMING EVENTS

Oct. 17

Aməricas Dialogue Series:

Dr. David Vasquez

Blackistone Room

11:20 am-12:30 pm


Oct. 31

CSD Trivia Contest

Come in costume. Join a team. Test your knowledge. Eat pizza.

Blackistone Room

11:30 am-12:45 pm


Nov. 17

MLCED Program:

Jonathan Friedman

Daugherty-Palmer Commons

7:30-9:00 pm


Sept. 30-Dec.12

Descendants Portrait Project

 Sharing our Common Humanity from Common Ground (the first 38),

featuring artist Nicole Stewart

The Boyden Gallery

hours: Tu.-Fri. 11 am-6 pm

and Sat. 11 am-4 pm

How Latinx Literature and Film Teach us to Hope in Dark Times


David J. Vázquez, Ph.D., is Professor of Critical Race, Gender, and Culture Studies and Program Director of Latina/o/x Studies at American University in Washington, DC. He will explore how Latinx writers and artists are reimagining the future in the face of climate crisis and systemic injustice.


Find out more information here.

 

MLCED PROGRAM:

Jonathan Friedman


Jonathan Friedman, Ph.D., is the Sy Syms managing director of U.S. free expression programs at PEN America. He oversees research, advocacy, and education related to academic freedom, educational gag orders, book bans, and general free expression in schools, colleges, and universities.


An interdisciplinary scholar by training, Friedman has served as lead author on PEN America’s reports, Banned in the USA: The Growing Movement to Censor Books in Schools (2022), Banned in the USA: Rising School Book Bans Threaten Free Expression and Students’ First Amendment Rights (2022), 

Educational Gag Orders: Legislative Restrictions on the Freedom to Read, Learn, and Teach (2021), and Chasm in the Classroom: Campus Free Speech in a Divided America (2020). He also steered the production of PEN America’s Campus Free Speech Guide (2020).


Mr. Friedman regularly provides commentary for news media about educational censorship, and has published op-eds for CNN, The Washington Post, The Hill, The Daily Beast, New York Daily News, and Inside Higher Ed.

 

Descendants Portrait Project

at Boyden Gallery 
through December 12

The Dwight Frederic Boyden Gallery at SMCM is pleased to host the exhibit, Sharing our common humanity from common ground (the first 38), during the fall semester. The exhibit features artist Nicole Stewart's initial group of completed portraits of descendants of the former Sotterley plantation (known now as Historic Sotterley) located in Hollywood, Maryland. The show will remain open until December 12, 2025. 


There will be a series of discussion panels with Sotterley descendants. They will share their stories, insights and feelings about their Sotterley connections and about preserving the past. The Descendants Panels will be in Upper Montgomery Hall Commons on these dates:

  • Saturday, October 18, 2025,

2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

  • Monday, November 3, 2025, 4:45 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.


You can follow Nicole Stewart on Facebook and Instagram.


The Boyden Gallery is located on the 2nd floor of Montgomery Hall and is open Tuesday-Friday 11 am-6 pm and Saturdays 11 am-4 pm

Constitution Day photos

 

Stay Tuned for More Exciting CSD Events


Other Fall events are in the process of being finalized. Check our website often for more information on upcoming speakers and important lecture topics!

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