A Banned Books Week Speaker Who Took Free Speech to the Supreme Court
Banned Books Week asks a hard question: who gets to decide what we're allowed to say, read, and name? Simon Tam answered it before the U.S. Supreme Court — and won, unanimously. He brings the fight for free expression to life through a story that's funny, surprising, and entirely his own.
Over 1,000 standing ovations across four continents. A story taught in classrooms nationwide. One unanimous Supreme Court victory.
He didn't just write about free speech. He fought the government for it — and won.
Banned Books Week (late September) celebrates the freedom to read and challenges the censorship of ideas. There's no more fitting voice for it than someone who lived the fight firsthand.
When the U.S. government refused to let Simon Tam trademark the name of his band, The Slants — deeming it too offensive to protect — he spent eight years fighting back, all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States. In 2017, the Court ruled unanimously in his favor in Matal v. Tam, establishing that the government cannot suppress expression simply because it finds it objectionable. It's the same principle at the heart of every challenged book: the right to decide for ourselves what we read, write, and say.
There's a particular irony Simon brings to the conversation: his own memoir about winning a First Amendment case has itself appeared on restricted lists.
What Your Audience Takes Away
A clear, compelling case for why free expression matters — grounded in a real Supreme Court victory, not abstraction
A nonpartisan framing of censorship and the right to read that works for ideologically diverse communities
The surprising, often funny story of one person standing up to government overreach
A connection between book challenges, free speech, and the constitutional principles that protect both
For students and readers: a vivid, personal answer to why the freedom to read is worth defending
Banned Books Week Programs For Every Audience
Libraries & Library Associations
A keynote for the institutions on the front lines of the freedom to read — connecting the daily work of defending access to books with a landmark Supreme Court free-speech victory.
Colleges & Universities
First Amendment programming, author series, and campus events that bring the censorship conversation to life through a genuine constitutional case.
Schools & Independent Schools
An age-adaptable program on free expression and the right to read, pairing a memorable story with the civic principles educators are already teaching.
“Dance rock band front man Simon Tam sought to trademark The Slants. His aim was to reappropriate a term long used to disparage a minority group and to render the term a badge of pride. All of us agreed.”
— Ruth Bader Ginsburg
What people have said about Simon Tam:
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![Cover of the book titled 'The Bill of Rights: A User's Guide' by Linda R. Monk, with a foreword by Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.]()
“No constitution, no bill of rights alone can guarantee human freedom. People like Simon Tam…are willing to risk their security – and sometimes their lives – make the Bill of Rights not just empty promises on paper, but a living reality to expand freedom for the rest of the nation as well.”
The Bill of Rights: A User’s Guide by Linda Monk
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![Ronny Chieng in a gray suit, white checkered shirt, and striped tie, adjusting his tie with a confident expression against a gray background.]()
"The story of The Slants is the perfect vehicle to discuss the realities of being an Asian artist in America."
Ronny Chieng, The Daily Show
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![Book cover for 'Hate Speech, Not Censorship' by Nadine Strossen, featuring a red background with large black and white text.]()
“Simon Tam has been an evangelist for free speech and equality as mutually reinforcing rights. He has given several terrific TED talks which I highly recommend."
Nadine Strossen, law professor and former president of the ACLU
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![Professional portrait of an Asian man in a suit and tie, smiling, with a cityscape background.]()
“This was the best CLE presentation that they have ever attended.”
Hyung Steele, Partner at Pepper Hamilton LLP
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![Logo for Global Cultural Studies at Williamette University, featuring a black world map and text on a light blue background.]()
"Out of all the presentations I’ve seen in 26 years at Willamette, that was definitely one of the very best. [This] story is incredibly important and inspirational."
Peter Wogan, Professor of Global Cultural Studies
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![Colorful abstract logo with interconnected arcs and circles in purple, green, orange, and teal.]()
“One of the most inspiring people I have ever heard speak.”
member, Leadership Council on Legal Diversity
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![Portrait of an Asian man in a suit and tie, sitting in an office setting.]()
“The Tam case has forged a hybrid trademark and free speech right.”
Timothy T. Hsieh, NYU Journal of IP & Ent. Law
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![The Netflix logo with a black background and red letters.]()
“This presentation of stories and songs will have you on the edge of your seat.”
Northeastern University School of Law
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![Text reading 'Knowledge at Wharton' with 'at' in red and centered]()
“Simon Tam’s legal fight turned an obscure trademark law into mainstream conversation about free speech and identity.”
Elizabeth M. Squires, Knowledge at Wharton
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![A smiling middle-aged man wearing a dark blue suit, white shirt, and patterned tie, standing in a bright, modern hallway with windows.]()
"Of note is Tam’s effort to register 'The Slants' for his Asian rock-dance band in an effort to reclaim a piece of cultural heritage for his group and drain the slur of its 'denigrating force.'"
John A. Squires, Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
Simon’s story and work has been featured in thousands of media outlets across 125+ countries, including:
Book Simon for Banned Books Week
Banned Books Week falls in late September, and programming is planned months ahead. Reach out now to check availability and shape a keynote tailored to your community.