American Civil Liberties Union

American organization that defends individual rights (such as free speech, freedom of choice, protection from discrimination, etc.), ACLU

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is the common name for an American organization consisting of two separate entities. The ACLU Foundation is a non-profit organization that focuses on litigation and communication efforts, whereas the American Civil Liberties Union focuses on legislative lobbying and does not have non-profit status. The ACLU's stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States". It works through litigation, legislation, and community education. Founded in 1920 by Crystal Eastman and Roger Baldwin, the ACLU was the successor organization to the earlier National Civil Liberties Bureau founded during World War I. The ACLU reported over 500,000 members at the end of 2005.
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