On March 23, 2026, eight University of Alabama students filed a federal lawsuit against the University of Alabama Board of Trustees and university officials, challenging the December 1, 2025, suspension of the student magazines Alice and Nineteen Fifty Six. The plaintiffs alleged that the university had engaged in viewpoint discrimination and violated their First Amendment rights by defunding and shutting down the publications based on their editorial focus and the communities they served. The complaint stated that the magazines had been inclusive, open to all students, and did not exclude participation based on race, gender, or other protected characteristics. The plaintiffs sought declaratory relief, injunctive relief, and attorney’s fees. The students were represented by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the ACLU of Alabama, and Arnold & Porter, a large international law firm.
University officials informed the editorial teams of Alice, a women-oriented lifestyle and wellness magazine, and Nineteen Fifty Six, a magazine focused on Black student culture and experiences, that both publications would be immediately suspended and lose university funding on December 1, 2025. Administrators said the decision was prompted by shifting federal guidance on diversity, equity, and inclusion, citing a July 2025 Department of Justice memo from then U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi advising federally funded institutions to avoid practices that could be seen as unfairly targeting certain groups, even if the rules appeared neutral. University spokespeople said the action was necessary to ensure compliance and to make all student media programs accessible to everyone. Students were also told that the university planned to develop a new, broader-scope magazine for the next academic year. University officials emphasized that the decision was about legal compliance and stated that students’ freedom of expression remained intact. The Fall 2025 issues of Alice and Nineteen Fifty Six became their last in their current form.
Following the suspension, student groups collected thousands of signatures on petitions, delivered them to university leadership, and staged protests in early December 2025. Alumni and advocacy organizations launched fundraising campaigns to support independent publication of the magazines in Spring 2026. The suspensions drew attention and sparked debate over campus free speech and DEI policy. Critics noted that neither magazine had restricted participation based on race, gender, or other protected identities, highlighting that both had been inclusive and attracted diverse contributors. Observers connected the suspensions to broader state and federal efforts to limit DEI initiatives, including Alabama’s SB 129, which bans publicly funded DEI programs and “divisive concepts,” as well as the removal of dedicated spaces for the Black Student Union and LGBTQ+ Resource Center.
The lawsuit alleged that the university targeted Alice and Nineteen Fifty Six specifically for the topics they covered and the communities they served, even though the publications were open to all students. Editors Gabrielle Gunter of Alice said, “The suspension was shocking and devastating. Our magazine has always been inclusive and open to all students.” Kendal Wright of Nineteen Fifty Six stated, “We have always attracted diverse contributors and fostered a space for Black student voices. Closing the magazine disregards our work and the community we built.” Several former staff members noted in the complaint that the suspension disrupted internships, mentorship programs, and other opportunities for student journalists. The lawsuit seeks reinstatement of the magazines as well as compensation for lost funding and opportunities.
