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CONTACT:
Steven R. Hinds, Executive Director of Public Relations and Marketing
shinds1@nwacc.edu or 479-619-2220
Dr. Jami Forrester, Professor of History
jforrester@nwacc.edu
Mary Beth Tinker to Speak at NWACC on April 7
Lecturer Was One of a Group of Students Involved in 1960s First Amendment Case
BENTONVILLE, Ark. (March 20, 2015) – Mary Beth Tinker, who was involved in the landmark
1969 First Amendment case Tinker v. Des Moines Community School District will address faculty,
students and community members during a lecture on April 7 at NorthWest Arkansas Community
College.
Tinker was among a small group of students from Des Moines, Iowa, who in December 1965, wore
black armbands to mourn those lost on both sides of the Vietnam War and to show support for
Robert F. Kennedy’s call for a “Christmas truce.” Student participants were suspended from school
until they would come back without the armbands. A First Amendment battle followed, and the case
wound its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which in 1969 issued a landmark decision upholding the
students’ right to wear the armbands. The case made clear for the first time that all students have
First Amendment rights.
The presentation will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 7, in White Auditorium of Burns Hall on the
NorthWest Arkansas Community College campus in Bentonville. The event is sponsored by the
Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences and the Department of History at NWACC. The public
is invited.
Those seeking additional information may contact Dr. Jami Forrester at jforrester@nwaccc.edu.
NorthWest Arkansas Community College is a smart choice for students wanting to pursue quality higher
education. As an accredited institution through The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association,
NWACC is a public two-year institution that serves and strengthens its surrounding communities in Benton and
Washington counties by helping our students maximize their potential and exceed expectations. With state-of-the-art
facilities, NWACC provides excellent academic instruction and workforce training needed to succeed, offering
personalized attention from highly respected faculty, staff, and administrators. For more information, visit
www.nwacc.edu.