Overby Center

Determined to create a better understanding of the media, politicians and the role of the First Amendment in our democracy.

[Overby Center @OverbyCenter]

By Bill Barrow for The Associated Press

Georgia’s Republican legislative leaders rejected Gov. Kemp’s call to redraw congressional districts, citing concerns about moving too quickly after a U.S. Supreme Court decision weakened federal Voting Rights Act protections

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By Alejandra Martinez for The Texas Tribune.

Gov. Greg Abbott released sweeping regulatory recommendations on data centers for the Legislature to pass in the 2027 session, as Texas grapples with an explosion of artificial intelligence-driven development and soaring power demands

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Jared Schroeder, an associate professor at the University of Missouri School of Journalism and a member of the Overby Center panel of experts, writes about AI-generated videos' influence on voters’ opinions in the midterm elections this year.

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By Maya Homan for Georgia Recorder

Georgia’s gas tax will return Wednesday after a two-and-a-half-month hiatus, causing gas prices to rise by roughly 33 cents per gallon. Gov. Kemp first signed off on a six-day suspension of the tax in March in response to rising gas prices.

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Robert F. Darden, professor emeritus in journalism at Baylor University and a member of the Overby Center panel of experts, writes about the complex relationship between 4th of July-styled patriotism and Black gospel music.

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By Anna Barrett for Alabama Reflector

Alabama officials Wednesday filed an emergency application to the U.S. Supreme Court, asking the justices to block a lower court’s order requiring the state to use a court-ordered congressional map in the 2026 midterm elections.

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R.J. Morgan, an instructional professor in the School of Journalism and New Media at the University of Mississippi and director of the Mississippi Scholastic Press Association, writes about the history of scholastic press associations and censorship of scholastic journalism.

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By Taylor Vance for Mississippi Today.

The U.S. Supreme Court, in a brief order on Monday, reversed a lower court’s ruling that determined Mississippi lawmakers unlawfully diluted Black voting strength when it redrew the state’s legislative districts.

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A program at the Overby Center used a national survey by the Freedom Forum on sentiment and support for the First Amendment as a basis for discussion. Issues such as speech on campuses and laws that limit academic freedom were examined.

[Overby Center @OverbyCenter]

A program at the Overby Center used a national survey by the Freedom Forum on sentiment and support for the First Amendment as a basis for discussion. Issues such as speech on campuses and laws that limit academic freedom were examined.

[Overby Center @OverbyCenter]

A program at the Overby Center used a national survey by the Freedom Forum on sentiment and support for the First Amendment as a basis for discussion. Issues such as speech on campuses and laws that limit academic freedom were examined.

[Overby Center @OverbyCenter]

By Charlotte Rene Woods for Virginia Mercury.

After Gov. Spanberger signed twin bills, Virginia is now on track to establish a paid family and medical leave program by 2028. The new law builds on the governor’s campaign promises and several years of work by state lawmakers.

[Overby Center @OverbyCenter]

A program at the Overby Center used a national survey by the Freedom Forum on sentiment and support for the First Amendment as a basis for discussion. Issues such as speech on campuses and laws that limit academic freedom were examined.

[Overby Center @OverbyCenter]

Terry Mattingly, a member of the Overby Center panel of experts, discusses the growth in worship attendance for churches and urges people to keep asking questions about why attendance is growing or shrinking.

Read the full article by Terry Mattingly at https://t.co/9Py8DFZTE6

[Overby Center @OverbyCenter]

A program at the Overby Center used a national survey by the Freedom Forum on sentiment and support for the First Amendment as a basis for discussion. Issues such as speech on campuses and laws that limit academic freedom were examined.

[Overby Center @OverbyCenter]

By Emily Foxhall for The Texas Tribune

Camp Mystic on Thursday said it has withdrawn its application for an operating license, a decision that means it will not reopen to campers this summer.

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By Katherine Lin for MississippiToday

Mississippi College School of Law is one of the first schools in the nation to tackle the growing influence of artificial intelligence in jurisprudence by making AI education mandatory for all students.

[Overby Center @OverbyCenter]

Carlos Sanchez, a freelance writer based in McAllen, Texas, and a member of the Overby Center panel of experts, writes that the deification of César Chávez must cease because of his predatory behavior. Sanchez says the Chávez legacy must not be erased but used as a teaching tool.

[Overby Center @OverbyCenter]

Richard “Dick” Scruggs said that both the news media and the Bill of Rights are under attack in various ways, including by the government. HIs remarks came in a luncheon on March 25 in the Great Conversations Series by the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics.

[Overby Center @OverbyCenter]

Richard “Dick” Scruggs said that both the news media and the Bill of Rights are under attack in various ways, including by the government. HIs remarks came in a luncheon on March 25 in the Great Conversations Series by the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics.