The Annenberg Classroom short historical documentary “The First Amendment: New York Times v. Sullivan,” about the landmark 1964 Supreme Court case on the First Amendment right to freedom of the press, has been named a finalist in the American Bar Association’s Silver Gavel Awards for Media and the Arts.
The film is part of The Constitution Project, a collection of free, nonpartisan, high-quality resources offered to educators and students by Annenberg Classroom, a project of the Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics (LAIC) at the Annenberg Public Policy Center. The documentary, a 2024 Anthem Award Silver Gavel Winner, was produced for LAIC by The Documentary Group, a two-time Academy Award-nominated production company focused on premium nonfiction content.
The film, released in 2023 in conjunction with Constitution Day (Sept. 17), examines the relationship of the press to the Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s, and the ways in which proponents of segregation tried to use the courts to prevent coverage of the violence inflicted upon peaceful protestors. (Learn more about it here.)
“Being named a finalist in the ABA’s Silver Gavel Awards is a great honor, and we would like to thank the ABA reviewers for their time and dedication in evaluating submissions,” said LAIC Director of Outreach and Curriculum Andrea (Ang) Reidell.
To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the New York Times v. Sullivan ruling, Reidell said, LAIC took part in a series of public and educational programs in March 2024 featuring the film. The film was the centerpiece of programs during Civic Learning Week, including a live-streamed national educator workshop in partnership with the National Constitution Center and the Supreme Court Historical Society, and a public screening and discussion at the New York Historical Society moderated by Randall Kennedy of Harvard Law School. The documentary also was featured in four professional development programs for teachers in the School District of Philadelphia, and one in Washington, D.C., with partners the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and Street Law.
The film, which has three accompanying lesson plans, has been viewed more than 6,800 times on YouTube.
The film is a finalist in the Documentary category. The other three finalists in this category are “Nature of the Crime,” Break Thru Films and HBO Documentary Films; “The Sing Sing Chronicles” NBC News Studios, MSNBC Films, and Trilogy Films; and “Zurawski v Texas,” Out of Nowhere.
Since 1958, the Silver Gavel Awards have recognized outstanding work that enhances public understanding of law and the legal system. This year, a panel of 53 professionals with experience in both law and media, including ABA members, reviewed 122 entries across all eligible categories. From that pool, 24 finalists were selected. Winners will be announced on May 14.
