American Civil Liberties Union

Lori Brennan

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded in 1920 by Roger Baldwin, Crystal Eastman, and Albert DeSilver. It was created to protect the liberties granted by the U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights, plus the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 19th Amendments. These civil rights amendments generally protect and provide for freedom of speech, association, and assembly; freedom of the press; and freedom of religion. The Bill of Rights also established the right to equal protection under law that includes equal treatment regardless of race, sex, religion, or national origin and the right to due process characterized by fair treatment by the government whenever loss of liberty or property is at stake. Finally, the right to privacy includes freedom from unwanted government intrusion into private and personal affairs. The formation of the ACLU coincided with a range of social issues that arose from U.S. involvement in World ...

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