Defending the rights & civil liberties of all central Illinoisans.
The ACLU dares to create a more perfect union — beyond one person, party, or side. Our mission is to realize this promise of the United States Constitution for all and expand the reach of its guarantees.
Did you know central Illinois has its own chapter of the ACLU?
Our local steering committee meets the first Thursday of each month at 7:00pm via Zoom.
On the issues
The ACLU of Illinois is engaged in several long-term campaigns to address the systemic problems undermining freedom in our state.
On the ground
We aim to support bills that strengthen our rights guaranteed under the Constitution and defeat bills that threaten them.
In the courts
Litigation remains one of the fundamental tools with which our adept legal team fights for equality and civil rights throughout the state.
Want to know more?
Learn more about the issues the ACLU is working on, in central Illinois, throughout the state, and across the county.
1920
In its first year, the ACLU challenged the Palmer Raids, protecting immigrants & trade union members.
1942
The ACLU stood almost alone in denouncing the federal government’s internment of more than 110,000 Japanese Americans in concentration camps.
1967
The ACLU represented an interracial couple in the landmark Supreme Court case, Loving v. Virginia. The court ruled that state bans on interracial marriage were unconstitutional.
1978
The ACLU took a controversial stand for free speech by defending a Nazi group that wanted to march through the Chicago suburb of Skokie—where many Holocaust survivors lived.
2015
The ACLU won a landmark Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, affirming the constitutional right of same-sex couples to marry.
2018
The Supreme Court ruled in an ACLU case, Carpenter v. United States, that people’s sensitive cell phone location data is protected by the Fourth Amendment, requiring the government get a warrant to access it.
Today
The ACLU has 1,700+ staffers in every state, D.C., and Puerto Rico fighting for people’s constitutional rights.
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Interested in joining us, have a question, or looking for more information?
Ready to get involved & take action?
Real change starts with you and every one of us can help make a difference. ACLU activists help turn America’s most cherished principles into reality. The ACLU is the foremost civil rights & liberties organization — a movement of people fighting together for justice, freedom, fairness, and equality for all. Check out these opportunities to join us in our important work.