Guardians of Liberty explores the essential and basic American ideal of freedom of the press. Allowing the American press to publish--even if what they're reporting is contentious-- without previous censure or interference by the federal government was so important to the Founding Fathers that they placed a guarantee in the First Amendment to the Constitution. Citing numerous examples from America's past, from the American Revolution to the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement to Obama's and Trump's presidencies, Linda Barrett Osborne shows how freedom of the press has played an essential role in the growth of this nation, allowing democracy to flourish. She further discusses how the freedoms of press and speech often work side by side, reveals the diversity of American news, and explores why freedom of the press is still imperative to uphold today. Includes endnotes, bibliography, and index