About the Chair

John Seigenthaler believed in journalism of integrity. Throughout his nationally renowned career, he championed the underdog, shed light on dark places and looked out for the community he served. Seigenthaler passed away on July 11, 2014, but his legacy lives on in the form of the John Seigenthaler Chair of Excellence in First Amendment Studies at Middle Tennessee State University.

The Chair was instituted in 1986 to honor Seigenthaler’s lifelong commitment to free expression values. Seigenthaler, longtime president, editor and publisher of The Nashville Tennessean, remained chairman emeritus of that newspaper until his death at age 86. He also was the first editorial director of USA TODAY and the first chairman of the Freedom Forum First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University.

The mission of the chair is to promote awareness and understanding of the First Amendment and to support quality journalism in the state through deepening the experiences of students and partnerships with the community. Its main programs include:


The Pulitzer Prize lecture series

Each semester, the chair brings in Pulitzer Prize winners to discuss their work. Recent speakers have included: