Voices in Support of a Free Press

We at the ClassACT HR73 Justice & Civic Engagement Committee’s Freedom of the Press Initiative are launching our first quarterly TOP 10 READING LIST, which will focus on the press and journalism in our country. Our first edition concentrates on renewed assaults on a free press. As these attacks multiply, news organizations are finding new ways to champion our First Amendment rights.

Recent news accounts reveal that the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal successfully fought off Department of Justice grand jury subpoenas issued to three reporters. ABC is countering the Federal Communication Commission Chairman’s threat to revoke its broadcasting license over issues ranging from DEI policies to the lineup of guests on “The View.” The network has started running ads on its local affiliates in cities from New York to Houston urging viewers to protest attempts to control the voices they hear.

We encourage you to read and to listen to recent opinions by a range of advocates of press freedom. Included in our own list are a talk on the challenges of safeguarding the First Amendment by the New York Times columnist, David French; a 2016 speech by the great CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour that still rings true today; and reflections on the yet unclear consequences of AI for journalism by Richard Tofel, the co-founder of ProPublica and the moderator of our most recent Freedom of the Press forum last month. 

Finally, we invite you to begin your summer reading and viewing with the legendary book and film All the President’s Men. This saga of how two scrappy Washington Post newspaper reporters, a fearless editor and a remarkable publisher braved the threats of the Nixon administration to score a victory for freedom of the press and the American people remains powerful today.

Freedom of the Press TOP 10 READING LIST

Voices in Support of a Free Press

2026 Summer Edition

1. Summer Kick Off: Bernstein, Carl and Woodward, Bob. (2014) All the President’s Men. Simon & Schuster.

-And you can watch the award-winning 1976 film on multiple streaming sites, including YouTube and Fandango at Home 

2. Amanpour, Christiane. “2016 Burton Benjamin Memorial Award Acceptance Speech.” Committee to Protect Journalists. November 22, 2016. 

3. Bauder, David. (2025, December 31). “Freedom of the Press Under Fire in 2025.” Associated Press.

4. Cobb, Jelani. (2016, November 29) “Protecting Journalism from Donald Trump." The New Yorker.

5. French, David “‘The First Amendment Today: Challenges and Opportunities’ with David French, New York Times columnist, in a Fireside Chat with Professor John Inazu, Washington University Law School. In collaboration with Templeton Religion Trust, in conjunction with Constitution Week.” September 12, 2025. 

6. Johnson, Jake. (2026, April 30). “US Falls to Lowest Rank Ever on Press Freedom Index.” Common Dreams. 

7. O’Connell, Ryan. (2026, June 11). “Donald Trump Does ‘Beat the Press.’” The Wall Street Democrat. 

8. One Free Press Coalition. (2026, May 2) “The Most Urgent Threats to Press Freedom in 2026.” Time. 

9. Rubinstein, Sarah. (2026, January 25) “What Happened to a Free Press? How Our First Amendment Rights Are Slowly Being Limited and How We Can Stay Informed.” The Science Survey. 

10. Tofel, Richard. (2026, June 4). “On AI Predictions for Journalism, A Plea for Modesty.” Second Rough Draft.  

VOTING RESOURCES + OPPORTUNITIES 

As we head further into midterm season, check out two ways to get involved:

1. ClassACT has assembled a 2026 VOTING RESOURCE GUIDE with links to handbooks and web sites to help you exercise your right to vote.

A. You can share this guide as an attached PDF via email, through social media,and posting it on bulletin boards in your place of work, worship, schools, your gym…basically any and everywhere!

2. Also check out check out our 2026 Voting Activism Opportunities Spreadsheet (created by Marilyn Go '73), which lists non-profit organizations that focus on voting and voter participation. The list includes national and state organizations as well as those that concentrate on particular areas of interest.