Free Speech Makes Free People

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression's mission is to defend and sustain the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought — the most essential qualities of liberty. FIRE educates Americans about the importance of these inalienable rights, promotes a culture of respect for these rights, and provides the means to preserve them.

Watch FIRE President & CEO Greg Lukianoff's 2025 TED Talk "Let's get real about free speech"
Photo of Aaron Roderick Gillespie, an American musician best known for being the drummer and clean vocalist for the rock band Underoath.

WATCH VIDEO: In the final episode of Fire w/FIRE, Aaron Gillespie of Underoath opens up about growing up in a restrictive Christian home in Florida, raiding his dad’s secret stash of secular music, and the literal scar he carries from when his dad pushed a Snoop Dog CD case into his chest.

How Kurt Cobain’s death launched Aaron Gillespie’s music career

FIRE Videos

Every other week this summer, FIRE will sit down with some of the biggest and up-and-coming artists in heavy metal and punk rock to discuss free expression, artistic freedom, and much more.

FIRE Reacts -- Where does Harvard go from here? With Larry Summers

2025 has not been kind to Harvard. To date, the Trump administration , demanding violations of free speech, academic freedom, and institutional autonomy in return for restoring the funding. In response, Harvard , raising First Amendment claims. ...

Our Issues

FIRE defends and promotes the individual rights of all Americans in our courtrooms, on our campuses, and in our culture.

WHAT WE DEFEND

Defending Your Rights

FIRE defends and sustains the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought — the essential qualities of liberty — and carries out this mission through several core services.

2025 College Free Speech Rankings

The largest report of its kind, the rankings draw from more than 58,000 student responses representing more than 250 colleges and universities nationwide and are designed to help parents and prospective students choose the right school.

Find a School

Rank School Overall Speech Code
1 University of Virginia Public 73.41/100 Green
2 Michigan Technological University Public 73.15/100 Green
3 Florida State University Public 72.46/100 Green
4 Eastern Kentucky University Public 69.60/100 Green
5 Georgia Institute of Technology Public 69.39/100 Green
6 Claremont McKenna College Private 69.15/100 Green
7 North Carolina State University - Raleigh Public 68.44/100 Green
8 Oregon State University Public 67.26/100 Green
9 University of North Carolina - Charlotte Public 66.51/100 Green
10 Mississippi State University Public 66.14/100 Green
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Support the Fight for Free Speech

Get Involved

Help us build a new free speech movement and promote a strong culture of free speech by supporting FIRE with a donation today. Please join us in this important work!

Donate to FIRE

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