About Us // History
What is the ACLU?
The national American Civil Liberties Union was founded in 1920 and is our nation’s guardian of liberty. The ACLU works in the courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to all people in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Read more about the history and mission of the national ACLU.
A Brief History of the Wyoming National Chapter:
1940's: Wyoming's involvement with the ACLU began in the 1940's when individual ACLU members began informal meetings in Casper, Wyoming.
1960's: By the late 1960's, a chapter had organized around the practice of "preventive detention" of alleged biker gang members by the local law enforcement. It continued as a self-styled jail watchdog.
1970's: A formal chapter was organized in Laramie in the early 1970's, with litigation assistance provided by the Rocky Mountain States ACLU office in Denver.
1990's: In 1997, a staff position was funded and a statewide Board was created. In addition to prison and jail issues, a number of First Amendment cases have been successfully litigated and membership has increasingly grown.
2000-Present: Through litigation, legislation, and public education the Wyoming Chapter of the ACLU works to preserve civil liberties in the state of Wyoming. With growing membership and enthusiasm from around the state, the Wyoming ACLU is active in a myriad of different ways, such as lobbying the Wyoming Legislature, protecting voter’s rights, and keeping our prison and jails accountable.
In December 2010 we redesigned our website. The former site can now be found here.