Can we have a civil conversation about censorship? The Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture is about to find out. Partnering with The Dallas Morning News, Deep Vellum Publishing and the Dallas Public Library, the institute is presenting a series of free panels. The first takes place at 7 p.m. Sept. 26 in The Dallas Morning News' auditorium at 1954 Commerce St. Free admission; Registration required.

That first panel, "The History of Censorship, Its Development in the West, and the Phenomenon of Banned Books,"will be moderated by News editor Mike Wilson. The panel will feature:

-- Dale Carpenter, professor at Southern Methodist University's Dedman Law School and author of Flagrant Conduct: The Story of Lawrence V. Texas;

-- Sharon Grigsby, a News metro columnist;

-- Jo Giudice, director of libraries for the city of Dallas;

-- Darryl Ratcliff, a social practice artist, community organizer, writer and co-founder of Ash Studios in Dallas; and

--David Upham, a professor of politics and director of legal studies at the University of Dallas.