Alexander Meiklejohn (/ˈmiːkəlˌdʒɒn/; 3 February 1872 – 17 December 1964) was an English-born American philosopher, university administrator, educational reformer, and free-speech advocate, best known as president of Amherst College.

He earned bachelor's and master's degrees at Brown University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, and completed his doctorate in philosophy at Cornell in 1897.

[1][2] His presidency ended with his forced resignation for trying to apply his reforms, and thirteen students refused their diplomas that year in protest.

[4][5] He was a cofounder of the School of Social Studies in San Francisco,[1] an adult education program focusing on "great books" and American democracy.

[2] In 1965, the school became the Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute (MCLI),[6] a "non-governmental organization" run by Ann Fagan Ginger.

[1][2] Meiklejohn was known as an advocate of First Amendment freedoms and was a member of the National Committee of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

[10] The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) established the Alexander Meiklejohn Freedom Award to honor his work.