This extensive course will encourage you to engage in critical thinking as we consider the inventions, events, and people that have shaped and influenced American journalism from colonial times to the internet. The impact of technical, economic, political, and cultural developments will be considered as we examine what “freedom of the press” and “the truth” have meant in American society from the Age of Jefferson to the Age of President Trump.

Please join Attorney J. Dwight Yoder for a review of the legal and historical context of slavery and racial discrimination in the United States. Often referred to as America’s “original sin,” the kidnapping of Africans, who were then taken to the U.S. colonies where they were enslaved and treated as property, represents one of the most tragic and inhumane parts of our country’s history. Even after slavery was abolished following the Civil War, discrimination, organized violence and systemic oppression against African-Americans continued. Learning about the history of slavery and discrimination in the United States is critical for understanding and being able to address the challenges facing our country today.