ACLU

Extracted Attributes

• Full Name

  American Civil Liberties Union

• Founding Date

  1920-01-19

• Key Focus Areas

  Freedom of expression, due process, equal protection, reproductive freedom, criminal justice reform, digital privacy, and separation of church and state

• Staff Attorneys

  Approximately 500 staff attorneys

• Geographic Scope

  All 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico

• Membership Count

  Over 1,100,000 members

• Founding Location

  New York City, New York, United States

• Organization Type

  Nonprofit civil liberties and civil rights organization

• Annual Budget (2024)

  $383,000,000 USD

• Headquarters Location

  New York City, New York, United States

Timeline

• The directors of the National Civil Liberties Bureau officially reorganize and establish the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in New York City to defend constitutional rights and civil liberties. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_Liberties_Union)

  1920-01-19

• The ACLU reaches an operating budget of $383 million USD, supporting legal aid, lobbying efforts, and affiliates in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_Liberties_Union)

  2024-01-01

American Civil Liberties Union

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is an American nonprofit civil rights organization founded in 1920. ACLU affiliates are active in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The budget of the ACLU in 2024 was $383 million. The ACLU provides legal assistance in cases where it considers civil liberties at risk with advocacy from a secularist stance against excessive religious entanglement over the United States government. Legal support from the ACLU can take the form of direct legal representation or preparation of amicus curiae briefs expressing legal arguments when another law firm is already providing representation. In addition to representing persons and organizations in lawsuits, the ACLU lobbies for policy positions established by its board of directors. The ACLU's current positions include opposing the death penalty; supporting same-sex marriage and the right of LGBTQ+ people to adopt; supporting reproductive rights such as birth control and abortion rights; eliminating discrimination against women, minorities, and LGBTQ+ people; decarceration in the United States; protecting housing and employment rights of veterans; reforming sex offender registries and protecting housing and employment rights of convicted first-time offenders; supporting the rights of prisoners and opposing torture; upholding the separation of church and state by opposing government preference for religion over nonbelief in religious doctrine or for particular faiths over others; and supporting the legality of gender-affirming treatments, including those that are government funded, for transgender youth.

Web Search Results

• American Civil Liberties Union

  The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is an American nonprofit civil rights organization founded in 1920. ACLU affiliates are active in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The budget of the ACLU in 2024 was $383 million. [...] On January 19, 1920, the CLB directors formed an organization under a new name, the American Civil Liberties Union. Although a handful of other organizations in the United States at that time focused on civil rights, such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the ACLU was the first that did not represent a particular group of persons or a single theme. During the first decades of the ACLU, Baldwin continued as its leader. His charisma and energy attracted many supporters to the ACLU board and leadership ranks. The ACLU was directed by an executive committee and was not particularly democratic or egalitarian. New Yorkers dominated the ACLU's headquarters. Most ACLU funding came from philanthropies, such as the Garland [...] The ACLU provides legal assistance in cases where it considers civil liberties at risk with advocacy from a secularist stance against excessive religious entanglement over the United States government. Legal support from the ACLU can take the form of direct legal representation or preparation of amicus curiae briefs "Brief (law)") expressing legal arguments when another law firm is already providing representation. In addition to representing persons and organizations in lawsuits, the ACLU lobbies for policy positions established by its board of directors.

• American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Supreme Court | History | Research Starters | EBSCO Research

  The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1920 that advocates for civil rights and liberties in the United States. It emerged from earlier efforts to protect dissenters' rights, particularly during World War I, and has since become a prominent player in legal battles concerning the interpretation of the Bill of Rights. Initially, the Supreme Court did not apply the First Amendment to the states, allowing state governments to limit free speech without consequence. The ACLU has played a crucial role in advocating for the principles of selective incorporation, which has led to landmark rulings that extend civil liberties protections at the state level. Throughout its history, the ACLU has been involved in numerous significant Supreme Court cases, [...] The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was founded in 1920 by Roger Baldwin and other Progressive-era activists. It grew out of earlier organizations that had opposed the entry of the United States into World War I (1917–18) and had upheld the rights of conscientious objectors when little popular support existed for defending these dissenters’ rights. At the time of the ACLU’s founding, the Supreme Court had never upheld a free speech claim under the First Amendment but instead had repeatedly ruled that the Bill of Rights limited only the federal government and did not apply to the states. Therefore, states were free to ignore the First Amendment. Only gradually was the Court persuaded to adopt the philosophy of selective incorporation, in which various provisions of the Bill of Rights [...] The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was founded in 1920 by Roger Baldwin and other Progressive-era activists. It grew out of earlier organizations that had opposed the entry of the United States into World War I (1917–18) and had upheld the rights of conscientious objectors when little popular support existed for defending these dissenters’ rights. At the time of the ACLU’s founding, the Supreme Court had never upheld a free speech claim under the First Amendment but instead had repeatedly ruled that the Bill of Rights limited only the federal government and did not apply to the states. Therefore, states were free to ignore the First Amendment. Only gradually was the Court persuaded to adopt the philosophy of selective incorporation, in which various provisions of the Bill of Rights

• American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) | Britannica

  Britannica AI Icon ## News • American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), organization founded by Roger Baldwin and others in New York City in 1920 to champion constitutional liberties in the United States. The ACLU works to protect Americans’ constitutional rights and freedoms as set forth in the U.S. Constitution and its amendments. The ACLU works in three basic areas: freedom of expression, conscience, and association; due process of law; and equality under the law. [...] The work of the ACLU is performed by thousands of volunteers and about 100 staff attorneys. The ACLU is headed by a national board of directors and is headquartered in New York City. In the early 21st century the ACLU claimed a membership of more than 500,000. [...] The ACLU seeks to further particular aspects of civil liberties by affecting the outcome of specific legal cases in the courts. Since its founding the ACLU has initiated test cases as well as intervened in cases already in the courts. Thus, it may directly provide legal counsel in a case, or it may comment on the civil-liberties issues in a case by filing a “friend of the court” (amicus curiae) brief. A human hand and a gorilla's hand both reach for a gavel, against a blue-tinted background image of a courtroom.

• American Civil Liberties Union | ACLU Definition & History | Study.com

  ## Lesson Summary The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is an organization founded to protect the fundamental rights of American citizens. It was founded following the Palmer Raids during World War I, where suspected Communists' homes were raided with no warrants. This was a direct result of public panic surrounding a suspected infiltration of soviet ideals in the United States called the Red Scare. The ACLU was founded by Roger Baldwin, Crystal Eastman, and Albert DeSilver. [...] ## Lesson Summary The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nonprofit organization, which works to oppose constitutional violations in the United States. They are active in the areas of free speech, freedom of religion, and protection of minority rights, among many other areas. The ACLU emphasizes equal treatment for all, no matter their religious and ideological beliefs. #### Register to view this lesson Are you a student or a teacher? I am a student I am a teacher #### Unlock your education See for yourself why 30 million people use Study.com Become a Study.com member and start learning now. Become a member Already a member? Log in Go back ### Resources created by teachers for teachers Over 30,000 video lessons & teaching resources—all in one place. Video lessons [...] LessonQuizCourse QuizCourse644 views ### What is the ACLU? What is the ACLU definition? ACLU, meaning the American Civil Liberties Union, is an organization dedicated to addressing civil liberties abuses in the United States. The ACLU works in the court systems and communities to defend citizens' fundamental freedoms. This includes work such as providing legal advice, paying for an attorney, and writing legal briefs or petitions to support a case. In the 20th century, the ACLU was the only large-scale organization of its kind. It is one of the U.S.'s largest nonprofit organizations dedicated to the legal defense of American liberties. ## The ACLU: Purpose and Mission

• ACLU History | American Civil Liberties Union

  The ACLU is non-profit and non-partisan. We do not receive any government funding. Member dues and contributions and grants from private foundations and individuals pay for the work we do. The ACLU, with headquarters in New York City, litigates across the nation and all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Our Washington, D.C., legislative office lobbies the U.S. Congress. We use strategic communications to educate the public about issues. And the ACLU has expanded its reach by applying international human rights standards in our complex Post 9/11 world. A number of national projects address specific civil liberties issues: AIDS, capital punishment, lesbian and gay rights, immigrants' rights, prisoners' rights, reproductive freedom, voting rights, women's rights and workplace rights. [...] The ACLU has evolved in the years since from this small group of idealists into the nation’s premier defender of the rights enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. With more than 1.1 million members, 500 staff attorneys, thousands of volunteer attorneys, and offices throughout the nation, the ACLU of today continues to fight government abuse and to vigorously defend individual freedoms including speech and religion, a woman’s right to choose, the right to due process, citizens’ rights to privacy and much more. The ACLU stands up for these rights even when the cause is unpopular, and sometimes when nobody else will. While not always in agreement with us on every issue, Americans have come to count on the ACLU for its unyielding dedication to principle. The ACLU has become so ingrained in