ORELA Oregon Civil Rights Teachers Exam 2026 – Complete Practice Resource

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is the organization specifically focused on civil liberties in the United States. It was founded in 1920 with the goal of defending and preserving individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the country. The ACLU engages in various activities including litigation, advocacy, and public education to promote civil liberties such as freedom of speech, religious freedom, and the right to privacy.

The importance of the ACLU lies in its commitment to protecting the rights of individuals against government overreach and ensuring that civil liberties are upheld for all, regardless of background or identity. Other organizations mentioned in the question, while addressing vital social justice issues, have different focused missions—such as employment discrimination in the case of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, racial equality for the NAACP, and LGBTQ+ rights with the Human Rights Campaign. Each of these organizations plays an essential role in advancing rights, but the ACLU's scope is distinctively centered around civil liberties broadly defined.