About
California Freethought Day
Our Mission
Our mission is to host an annual festival that encourages freedom of speech and thought, promotes civic engagement, inspires science enthusiasm, advances social justice, and supports the separation of church and state.
The History and Culture of Freethought Day
Freethought Day dates back to 1692, during the time of the Salem Witch Trials. Massachusetts Governor William Phips wrote, on October 12, about the quagmire that the trials had degenerated into, in part by a reliance on "evidence" of a non-objective nature and especially "spectral evidence" in which the accusers claimed to see devils and other phantasms consorting with the accused.
Learn more about Freethought Day from the Sacramento Atheists and Other Freethinkers and Wikipedia.
And read this article about Freethought Day published in Secular Nation (Fall 2014).
About the Pansy
The pansy has long been associated with thought and reflection. Its French name, pensée, means “thought,” making it a fitting symbol for a movement dedicated to reason, inquiry, and religious freedom. By adopting the pansy as our logo, California Freethought Day honors the historic Freethought tradition while celebrating the value of independent thinking.
Our connection to the pansy also reflects the origins of California Freethought Day. The organization was founded to commemorate the end of the Salem Witch Trials, a milestone that reminds us of the importance of evidence, fairness, and the separation of church and state. The pansy serves as a symbol of thoughtful progress and the enduring pursuit of truth.
The colors in our logo were chosen to represent both California and the United States. By blending elements inspired by the California state flag and the American flag, our design reflects pride in our secular government and our shared democratic ideals.
Our connection to the pansy also reflects the origins of California Freethought Day. The organization was founded to commemorate the end of the Salem Witch Trials, a milestone that reminds us of the importance of evidence, fairness, and the separation of church and state. The pansy serves as a symbol of thoughtful progress and the enduring pursuit of truth.
The colors in our logo were chosen to represent both California and the United States. By blending elements inspired by the California state flag and the American flag, our design reflects pride in our secular government and our shared democratic ideals.
Our Team
Here's the team that, along with dozens of volunteers, makes California Freethought Day possible.
Board Members
- David Diskin, President
- Becky Mark, Treasurer
- Marie Bain, Secretary
- Nick Gray
- Luisa Morco
Committee Members
- Amelia Lewis
- Jamie Snyder-Hernandez
- Jessica Gray
- Kelly Amodeo
- Ken Nahigian
- Liz Jodry
- Nancy Sneed
- Ryan Drew
- Tom Ikelman
