On June 14, 2002 Kenneth Hardy died at the age of 45 from lung cancer. In April of 2002, the United States Supreme Court let stand a ruling that the former Jefferson Community College instructor who had lost his job for using a racial slur during a class about hurtful speech could continue his lawsuit against college leaders.

In April, the U.S. Supreme Court without comment declined to reconsider a federal appeals court ruling that allowed Kenneth Hardy’s lawsuit to proceed. At the time, Hardy called the decision a victory for free speech in the classroom.

Hardy wasn’t rehired at the college after the summer of 1998, when a black female student complained that one of Hardy’s communication classes on how language can marginalize people included a discussion of the slurs “nigger” and “bitch.”

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