For almost 100 years, the ACLU has stood up to presidents of both parties to ensure our country makes good on its founding promise as the land of the free. Today is no different, though it feels more perilous each day.
In 2017, we witnessed the first wave of unrelenting assaults on constitutional rights from the Trump administration. We also saw calculated and ever more extreme attacks on civil liberties from the North Carolina state legislature with continued assaults on voting rights and fair representation, LGBTQ equality, reproductive freedom, and First Amendment rights.
In such difficult times, I take immense pride in the work of the ACLU and the support we have received from all corners of the state. Read about our victories and the biggest moments from this year in our 2017 Annual Report.
Our team helped defeat North Carolina’s worst-in-the-nation voter suppression law, winning a four-year court battle this year that preserved same-day registration, a week of early voting, and easier access to the polls. We worked with a bipartisan coalition to finally, at long last, raise the age of juvenile jurisdiction in North Carolina so that 16 and 17-year olds are not automatically charged as adults in our criminal justice system. And we continue to take legal action in the courts to protect justice for all, thanks to your support.
We The People do not – will not – accept the erosion of hard-won civil rights and liberties. We The People remain vigilant and unflinching. We the people will forever pursue the vision of a fair and more just state for all North Carolinians.
Our work isn’t about one person, one party, or one issue. It’s about all of us, coming together, daring to create a more perfect union. Thank you for daring to stand with us! Be sure to read more about our work and everything we have achieved together this year in our 2017 annual report.