firing_line_full_color

 “While I take issue with much of what you say, I tremendously admire the marvelous way you say it.”

–Letter to William F. Buckley Jr. from a Firing Line viewer, 1966

The Hoover Institution Library & Archives exhibition Civil Discourse: William F. Buckley Jr.’s Firing Line, 1966–1999 commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of the launch of William F. Buckley Jr.’s legendary television program. With 1,505 episodes aired over thirty-three years, Firing Line first revolutionized, then set the standard, for televised public affairs shows. Television’s longest-running political talk show with a single host, Firing Line featured William F. Buckley Jr., a conservative and recognized master of debate, in conversation with many of the most remarkable—and often the most radical—public figures of his day. Throughout the show's long and influential run, Buckley hosted statesmen, politicians, activists, economists, journalists, scholars, authors, religious figures, philosophers, poets, and actors whose opinions ranged across the political and ideological spectrum. Prominent guests who appeared on Firing Line included Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, Muhammad Ali, Allen Ginsberg, Milton Friedman, Joan Baez, Truman Capote, Jesse Jackson, Betty Friedan, and Norman Mailer. The success of the show proved that televising the civil exchange of conflicting but considered opinions held undeniable powers to entertain, inform, and, ultimately, influence public opinion in America.

Drawing on the rich broadcast records of Firing Line at the Hoover Institution Library & Archives, the exhibition displays video, photographs, transcripts, newsletters, viewer correspondence, and publicity materials to spotlight the memorable encounters and remarkable exchanges that kept American viewers of all political persuasions coming back every week for more than three decades.


Civil Discourse: William F. Buckley Jr.’s Firing Line, 1966–1999, opens Tuesday, April 19, 2016, and runs through August 20, 2016. The exhibition is open to the public, free of charge, Tuesday–Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Herbert Hoover Memorial Exhibit Pavilion (next to Hoover Tower) on the Stanford University campus. Parking on campus is free on Saturdays. For directions and parking, click here.


WATCH THE STANFORD NEWS VIDEO ABOUT THE EXHIBITION


WATCH THE FIRING LINE TRAILER

Expand

Upcoming Events

Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Woman discussing report with remote workers stock photo
2025 Remote Work Conference
We are excited to invite you to attend the upcoming Conference on Remote Work, co-hosted by the Hoover Institution and the Stanford Institute for… Hoover Institution, Stanford University
Monday, October 27, 2025
Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future
Book Talk With Dan Wang: "Breakneck: China's Quest To Engineer The Future"
The Hoover History Lab invites you to "Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future", a book talk with the author, Dan Wang, on Monday, October 27… Shultz Auditorium, George P. Shultz Building
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
civicsusaamericaiStock-1155234457.jpg
What Is The Alliance For Civics In The Academy?
The Alliance for Civics in the Academy hosts What is the Alliance for Civics in the Academy? with Josiah Ober, Mary Clark, Jenna Storey, Peter Levine… Hoover Institution, Stanford University
overlay image