On April 20 and 21, 2018, the Silha Center for the Study of Media Ethics and Law, the Minnesota Journalism Center, the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC) co-sponsored a symposium marking the 30th anniversary of the Hustler Magazine, Inc. v. Falwell case, which affirmed the First Amendment right of editorial cartoonists and satirists to lampoon public figures. The symposium, titled “The State of Our Satirical Union: Hustler Magazine, Inc. v. Falwell at 30,” included six panels and two speeches in which political cartoonists and First Amendment scholars discussed different aspects of the Hustler case, including Chief Justice Rehnquist’s opinion, the impact of the case, old and new forms of satire and political cartoons in society, and threats to satire in the United States and abroad, among other topics. The event took place at the Courtyard Marriott in Minneapolis on April 20 and the University of Minnesota’s Cowles Auditorium on April 21, with over 150 people in attendance over the course of the two days.
We invite you to explore the pages above to learn more about this historical event, the effect of the Hustler case on editorial cartoons, especially in 2018's political climate.