American Civil Liberties Union Papers

The struggle for civil rights and liberties defines our past and affects our present. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has throughout its history consistently stood at the center of controversies involving the rights of Americans. Its records offer researchers a unique view of the inner workings of the organization and the hundreds of groups with which the ACLU interacted. Covering the years from before the ACLU’s official founding in 1920 through the 20th century, the American Civil Liberties Union Papers archive offers an array of primary source materials on some of the most important issues that affected the United States.

Part I: 1912-1990
Focuses on civil rights, race, gender, and issues relating to the U.S. Supreme Court— topics intensely relevant to today’s curriculum and debates at both national and local levels.

Part II: Southern Regional Office
Documents the ACLU’s legal battle to enforce the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in thirteen Southern states. Consisting of case files, correspondence, newspaper clippings, manuscripts, and more, this collection offers a primary source perspective on civil rights issues from voting rights to the dismantling of the Jim Crow system.

This collection can also be searched on Gale Primary Sources, an integrated platform that combines Gale’s digital archives into a single cross-searchable interface.

Provider: Gale
Coverage: 1912-1990