Freedom of expression and the guarantees of our First Amendment are among our most cherished, and hard won, liberties. They are fundamental to who we are as Americans.

And yet, declining levels of civic literacy threaten to sever a younger generation from their country’s rich inheritance of order, justice, and freedom. The rise of disinformation through social media and curbs on free speech and expression on campuses, workplaces, public spaces, and corporate boardrooms, make reinforcing and advancing this most fundamental freedom an urgent task.

The Richard D. McLellan Prizes at the Russell Kirk Center aim to help reshape the national conversation on issues surrounding the durability and prospects for the American tradition of free speech and expression as guaranteed in the First Amendment of the U. S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights.

The McLellan Prizes draw attention to the central importance of the free speech tradition, particularly recognizing those doing the most important and exciting work in that area. They recognize and encourage talented thinkers, creators, and communicators capable of rearticulating the perennial importance of the First Amendment, and transmitting a better understanding of the freedoms it secures for all.