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ACLU AT-A-GLANCE • The ACLU's work is sustained by over 500,000 members and supporters who play an active role in defending freedom. • Nearly 200 ACLU staff attorneys and thousands of volunteer attorneys handle countless civil liberties cases every year. • Our legislative advocates are a constant presence on Capitol Hill and in state legislatures working on civil liberties issues. • The ACLU has staffed offices in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.   A Great Investment For the sixth consecutive year, the ACLU has received a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America's largest independent evaluator of charities. The ACLU also meets the highest standards of The Wise Giving Alliance of the Better Business Bureau. Download this brochure for printing (PDF) >> Read the HTML version >> "So long as we have enough people in this country willing to fight for their rights, we'll be called a democracy." - ACLU Founder Roger Baldwin> The ACLU is our nation's guardian of liberty, working daily in courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties that the Constitution and laws of the United States guarantee everyone in this country. These rights include: Your First Amendment rights - freedom of speech, association and assembly; freedom of the press, and freedom of religion. Your right to equal protection under the law - protection against unlawful discrimination. Your right to due process - fair treatment by the government whenever the loss of your liberty or property is at stake. Your right to privacy - freedom from unwarranted government intrusion into your personal and private affairs. The ACLU also works to extend rights to segments of our population that have traditionally been denied their rights, including people of color; women; lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people; prisoners; and people with disabilities. If the rights of society's most vulnerable members are denied, everybody's rights are imperiled. Support the ACLU today.

ACLU Honors Regina Kelly, Plaintiff In Landmark Civil Rights Case, With Baldwin Medal Of Liberty Award (10/24/2009)
NEW YORK – In a special ceremony on Saturday evening, the American Civil Liberties Union presented the Roger N. Baldwin Medal of Liberty award to Regina Kelly, an African-American single mother of four who, based on an unreliable informant's false information, was arrested in a military-style drug raid for felony cocaine distribution. Refusing to plead guilty, Kelly fought the charges, resulting in a significant change in Texas law whereby cases can no longer be prosecuted based solely on the claims of a single confidential informant.

American Civil Liberties Union Mourns Passing Of Former Executive Director Jack Pemberton (10/23/2009)
NEW YORK – The American Civil Liberties Union mourns the passing of John de J. "Jack" Pemberton. Pemberton served as the national Executive Director of the ACLU from 1962-70, a period marked by the peak of the civil rights struggle and the escalation of the Vietnam War.

Irwin And Joan Jacobs Donate $10 Million To ACLU's "Leading Freedom Forward" Campaign (8/14/2009)
NEW YORK – The American Civil Liberties Union today announced that philanthropists Irwin and Joan Jacobs, long-time supporters of the ACLU, have donated $10 million to the largest fundraising campaign on behalf of civil rights and liberties in the ACLU's 89-year history. The $335 million "Leading Freedom Forward: The ACLU Campaign for the Future" is an unprecedented effort to build the organization's infrastructure by increasing funding to key state affiliates, enhancing advocacy capabilities nationwide and securing the ACLU's financial future for generations to come.

ACLU Announces Acting Director Of Washington Legislative Office (7/24/2009)
WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union today announced that Michael Macleod-Ball will be serving as the Acting Director of the Washington Legislative Office as the organization searches for a new Legislative Director. As Acting Director, Macleod-Ball will be the organization’s top lobbyist and lead the ACLU’s legislative team in influencing lawmakers and the executive branch to protect civil liberties.

ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero Honored At Academy Of Achievement Summit