Pat Kennedy, a retired English teacher from Jacksonville, at Speakers Corner at the northeast corner of the downtown Jacksonville Square, near the Charters of Freedom, a permanent display of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
Provided by Steven Varble
USA TODAY Network, Reuters
A public gathering space dedicated to open expression has been established on Jacksonville’s downtown square, where residents are invited to share opinions on local, national and international issues.
The site is at the northeast corner of the square near the Charters of Freedom display, which features permanent reproductions of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, according to a community announcement. Organizers are inviting community members to attend monthly gatherings at 10 a.m. on the first Tuesday of each month beginning Oct. 6.
Retired Jacksonville English teacher Pat Kennedy said that the project was created to highlight the constitutional right to free speech and encourage public participation in civic discussion.
“Anyone can come, and affirm their right of freedom to speak, surrounded by these documents, that remind us that all Americans indeed have the right to say whatever they want in the United States of America,” Kennedy said in the announcement.
Kennedy formally designated the location as a Speakers’ Corner on July 19, and the first gathering took place Sept. 1.
Speakers’ Corners are public forums found in several countries where individuals can address audiences on a variety of topics. Kennedy said that Jacksonville’s location was inspired by similar sites worldwide, including the well-known Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park near Marble Arch in Westminster, England.
“I’m going to show up, and I don’t care if anyone else is here, and I’m probably going to have something to say and get off my chest, what’s happening in the country, or what’s happening in Jacksonville,” Kennedy said in the announcement. “It’s mostly going to be positive, as I love my town, and I love this plaza, and I’m just going to reiterate the fact that I have the right to come here. I declare it a Speakers’ Corner.”
Rules for participation
Organizers said in the announcement that participation is open to anyone who wishes to speak or observe.
According to the announcement, speakers are expected to wait their turn, discussions should remain civil and interaction with attendees may be lively but not violent or crude. Artificial amplification, including bullhorns and microphones, is not permitted.
The gathering is intended to provide a public venue for civil discourse and the exchange of opinions.
“No bullhorn, no microphone, all these documents are behind you that give you the right that so few people in the world have to say whatever is on your mind or whatever is on your heart,” Kennedy said in the announcement.
A video of the July 19 inauguration event is available on the Speakers’ Corner Facebook page at facebook.com.
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This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Jacksonville Speakers’ Corner invites public debate downtown
Reporting by Janis Reeser, Springfield State Journal-Register / State Journal-Register
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This story was originally published October 5, 2026 at 3:40 AM.