Original: On July 14, 2017, a statue of Clarence Darrow was unveiled in Dayton, Tennessee, on the Rhea County Courthouse lawn, funded by a $150,000 donation from the FFRF. The courthouse was the site of the historic 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial wherein Darrow unsuccessfully defended a teacher, John T. Scopes, who was found guilty of teaching evolution in a public school in violation of what was then a Tennessee state law. The statue was placed just a few feet away from a statue of William Jennings Bryan, Darrow's creationist opponent in the trial, which had been erected in 2005 by nearby Bryan College. Athens, Texas In 2011, the FFRF filed a letter of complaint regarding the placement of a nativity scene on Henderson County courthouse property. After it was decided that the nativity scene would remain, the FFRF petitioned to have its own banner placed on the site, but county officials declined to discuss its placement. The FFRF banner was placed without permission on the courthouse property, but was soon removed. The banner stated: "At this season of the winter solstice, let reason prevail. There are no Gods, no devils, no angels, no Heaven or Hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but a myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds". In April 2012, the county judge denied FFRF's request to place the same banner on the courthouse property. Events and activities FFRF has held conventions since 1977, one year after the group formed and one year prior to its official incorporation.History of FFRF conventions: Conventions have included speakers such as Christopher Hitchens, awards presented to recognize contributions to the advancement of the freethought community, "NonPrayer Breakfasts" with "moments of bedlam", and piano music by FFRF co-president Dan Barker. The Emperor Has No Clothes Award has been awarded by the Foundation since 1999 in recognition of "plain speaking" on the shortcomings of religion by public figures. Past recipients include: +YearRecipient(s)1999Steven Weinberg2001Jesse Ventura; Ted Turner; Andy Rooney; Janeane Garofalo; George Carlin; Richard Dawkins; Katha Pollitt2002Robert Sapolsky; Steve Benson2003Penn & Teller; Roger, Pat & Melody Cleveland; Natalie Angier2004Steven Pinker; Ron Reagan; Peter Singer; Robyn Blumner; Anne Nicol Gaylor2005Oliver Sacks2006Julia Sweeney2007Christopher Hitchens2008Daniel C. Dennett2009Ron Reagan; Ursula K. Le Guin; William Lobdell2010Cenk Uygur; Ayaan Hirsi Ali2011Jerry Coyne; Charles Strouse2012Richard Dawkins2013Dan Savage; Juan Mendez2014Bart D. Ehrman; Sean M. Carroll; Donald Johanson2015Ernie Chambers; Taslima Nasrin2016Lawrence Krauss2018Paula Poundstone; Jared Huffman; Salman Rushdie; Adam Savage2019Trae Crowder; Anthony B. Pinn Finances In 2013, Charity Navigator gave FFRF a four star rating and reported that FFRF had revenues of $ 3,878,938 USD, with a net surplus (after expenses) of $1,715,563 and net assets of $11,519,770.
Revised: On July 14, 2017, a statue of Clarence Darrow was unveiled in Dayton, Tennessee, on the Rhea County Courthouse lawn, funded by a $150,000 donation from the FFRF. The courthouse was the site of the historic 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial wherein Darrow unsuccessfully defended a teacher, John T. Scopes, who was found guilty of teaching evolution in a public school in violation of what was then a Tennessee state law. The statue was placed just a few feet away from a statue of William Jennings Bryan, Darrow's creationist opponent in the trial, which had been erected in 2005 by nearby Bryan College. Athens, Texas In 2011, the FFRF filed a letter of complaint regarding the placement of a nativity scene on Henderson County courthouse property. After it was decided that the nativity scene would remain, the FFRF petitioned to have its own banner placed on the site, but county officials declined to discuss its placement. The FFRF banner was placed without permission on the courthouse property, but was soon removed. The banner stated: "At this season of the winter solstice, let reason prevail. There are no Gods, no devils, no angels, no Heaven or Hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but a myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds". In April 2012, the county judge denied FFRF's request to place the same banner on the courthouse property. Events and activities FFRF has held conventions since 1977, one year after the group formed and one year prior to its official incorporation.History of FFRF conventions: Conventions have included speakers such as Christopher Hitchens, awards presented to recognize contributions to the advancement of the freethought community, FFRF held NonPrayer Breakfasts, with what it described as moments of bedlam instead of moments of silence, and piano music by FFRF co-president Dan Barker. The Emperor Has No Clothes Award has been awarded by FFRF since 1999 in recognition of what it called "plain speaking" on the shortcomings of religion by public figures. Past recipients include: +YearRecipient(s)1999Steven Weinberg2001Jesse Ventura; Ted Turner; Andy Rooney; Janeane Garofalo; George Carlin; Richard Dawkins; Katha Pollitt2002Robert Sapolsky; Steve Benson2003Penn & Teller; Roger, Pat & Melody Cleveland; Natalie Angier2004Steven Pinker; Ron Reagan; Peter Singer; Robyn Blumner; Anne Nicol Gaylor2005Oliver Sacks2006Julia Sweeney2007Christopher Hitchens2008Daniel C. Dennett2009Ron Reagan; Ursula K. Le Guin; William Lobdell2010Cenk Uygur; Ayaan Hirsi Ali2011Jerry Coyne; Charles Strouse2012Richard Dawkins2013Dan Savage; Juan Mendez2014Bart D. Ehrman; Sean M. Carroll; Donald Johanson2015Ernie Chambers; Taslima Nasrin2016Lawrence Krauss2018Paula Poundstone; Jared Huffman; Salman Rushdie; Adam Savage2019Trae Crowder; Anthony B. Pinn Finances In 2013, Charity Navigator gave FFRF a four star rating and reported that FFRF had revenues of $ 3,878,938 USD, with a net surplus (after expenses) of $1,715,563 and net assets of $11,519,770.
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