ACLU
Constitutional freedoms defender
The ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) is a nonprofit organization that defends constitutional rights through litigation, lobbying, and advocacy.
Founded in 1920, it takes cases involving free speech, privacy, due process, and equal protection—often representing unpopular clients or causes: The ACLU defended the neo-Nazis' right to march.
Critics on both left and right accuse it of selective priorities, but the organization maintains it follows principles rather than politics.
Constitutional free expression guarantee
- free speechProtected verbal liberty
- religious freedomRight to practice faith
- privacyFreedom from observation
- due processGuaranteed judicial fairness
equal protection · voting rights · reproductive rights · LGBTQ rights · immigrant rights · criminal justice · police accountability · surveillance
Post-WWI year
- foundingCreating an organization originally
- Scopes Trial1925 evolution teaching case
- Japanese internmentForced relocation of civilians
- McCarthyismPolitically-motivated accusation without evidence
desegregation · Roe v Wade · marriage equality · Guantanamo · detention · Vietnam War protests
Organization serving public good
- membershipState of belonging
- legal defenseArgument against charges
- advocacyPleading for a cause
- watchdogGuard or monitor
headquarters · chapters · national · litigation · executive director · board · donations · annual report
Civil court proceeding
- Supreme CourtNation's top tribunal
- landmark casesGroundbreaking judicial decisions
- litigationLegal dispute process
- court filingDocument submitted to tribunal
injunction · class action · plaintiff · defendant · brief · appeal · ruling · precedent
First Amendment
Constitutional free expression guarantee
- free speechProtected verbal liberty
- religious freedomRight to practice faith
- privacyFreedom from observation
due process · equal protection · voting rights · reproductive rights · LGBTQ rights · immigrant rights · criminal justice · police accountability · surveillance · censorship
1920
Post-WWI year
- foundingCreating an organization originally
- Scopes Trial1925 evolution teaching case
- Japanese internmentForced relocation of civilians
McCarthyism · desegregation · Roe v Wade · marriage equality · Guantanamo · detention · Vietnam War protests
nonprofit
Organization serving public good
- membershipState of belonging
- legal defenseArgument against charges
- advocacyPleading for a cause
watchdog · headquarters · chapters · national · litigation · executive director · board · donations · annual report · lobbying
lawsuit
Civil court proceeding
- Supreme CourtNation's top tribunal
- landmark casesGroundbreaking judicial decisions
- litigationLegal dispute process
court filing · injunction · class action · plaintiff · defendant · brief · appeal · ruling · precedent · judicial review
- advocacy groupsadvocacy group, lobbying groups, lobby group, NAACP, lobby groups
- philanthropydonations, charity work, donate, give, giving
- nonprofitscharity shop, charity organizations, nonprofit, nonprofits, charities
- civil rightsequal protection, equal rights, right to life, Voting Rights Act, desegregation
- American OrganizationsNAACP, American Legion, VFW, American Red Cross, Boy Scouts
- digital rightsdigital rights, digital freedom, digital privacy, data privacy, data protection