FAQ
2) What did he really say about 9/11?
3) Why and how has Ward Churchill been attacked?
4) Why is he suing the University of Colorado?
5) What about those charges of research misconduct?
6) What is Ward Churchill doing now?
7) How can I get in touch with Ward Churchill?
8) Where can I find his books or CDs?
9) How can I help protect academic freedom and political dissent?
1) Ward Churchill is a prolific American Indian scholar/activist who teaches and writes about Indigenous history and the U.S. government’s repression of political movements, including the FBI’s COINTELPRO operations. He was a tenured professor of American Indian Studies and Chair of the Ethnic Studies Department at the University of Colorado until 2007. More info…
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2) Ward Churchill said the attacks of 9/11 were a case of “chickens coming home to roost. This meant they had to be understood in the context of U.S. foreign policy. He emphasized that while no civilian deaths should be dismissed as “collateral damage,” if the U.S. government said that about killing other peoples’ children, Americans shouldn’t be surprised when those people responded in kind. More info…
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3) Ward Churchill has been attacked because he says things many Americans don’t want to hear. Politicians wanted him fired from CU because of his 9/11 essay. Others don’t like his broader criticisms of the U.S. government, or the realities of American Indian genocide that he exposes. To undermine his popularity and credibility as a teacher, speaker and author, they have attacked him in any way they could, making false claims about his identity and his scholarship. More info…
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4) The University of Colorado was under a lot of pressure from politicians and donors to fire Ward Churchill because of his 9/11 essay. That would have been an obvious violation of the First Amendment, so instead they combed thru “every word” he’d written and solicited allegations of “misconduct.” After 2 ½ years, they claimed they had enough evidence to fire him. Ward Churchill is suing because it is clear that CU really fired him for speech that was protected by the First Amendment. Read more…
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5) After combing through Ward Churchill’s writings (more than 20 books, 100 journal articles, and 12,000 footnotes), CU claimed to find 7 instances of “research misconduct.” 4 involved historical disputes about smallpox epidemics and the government’s use of “blood quantum” to identify American Indians. The other 3 were questions about ghostwriting and attribution of authorship. Read Ward's Response...
CU used inflammatory words like “plagiarism,” but actually admitted that their case was much weaker. The authors of CU’s “Investigative Report” have themselves been charged by outside scholars with falsification and fabrication of their evidence against Ward Churchill, but CU hasn’t bothered to investigate those complaints. Read more…
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6) Ward Churchill continues to teach, speak, and write books. In 2007, at student request, he taught a voluntary class at CU, much to the administration’s dismay. Since the “controversy” began, he has given over 50 well-attended and highly praised public lectures. He has written several articles on academic freedom, and is in the process of finishing several books.
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7) If you would like to organize a talk by Ward Churchill at your school or event, click here. If you’d like the WCSN to forward a message to Ward Churchill, click here. This website is not run by Ward Churchill, but we will help you get in touch with him.
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8) Ward Churchill’s many books and CDs can be purchased through our book shop, or directly from the publishers.
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9) The right to think freely, teach real history, and take political action is under assault in every community. The most important thing is to take a stand whenever we people being silenced and movements crushed. Ward Churchill’s case is important because he has become a symbol of the arbitrary ability of our institutions to silence truth. Resistance is never futile. Help us push back by spreading the word, attending the trial, and sending a donation to Ward’s legal fund. Find out how…
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