Towards legitimacy and professionalism: A call to repeal the Gillett Amendment

•The Gillett Amendment is an outdate law that limits government relationships with the public.•Today’s public relations is more professional than 1913.•Government needs to listen to and communicate with the public.•Educators, practitioners and professional associations have a role to play in repealing Gillett.

This article represents a call to repeal the Gillett Amendment. The 1913 Gillett Amendment is often treated as a quirky fact of history relegated to the Introduction to Public Relations course. This article argues that the contemporary practice of public relations built on ethics, professionalism, theory, and research no longer resembles the conditions that precipitated the Gillett Amendment. We encourage professionals, scholars, and public relations associations to work together to repeal the Amendment and recognize government public relations as a legitimate communication practice necessary for a civil society.