About Us

The ACLU of Massachusetts protects and expands civil rights and individual liberties while fighting for a more equitable tomorrow. We are working to create a society where all people enjoy freedom, opportunity, and dignity, with equal protection under the law.

We’ve been defending democracy as a nonprofit, nonpartisan legal advocacy organization for more than a century. Our doors first opened in 1920 — the same year the national ACLU was founded. We were the first state affiliate in the ACLU network, which now has offices and advocates in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C.

We are tireless advocates in the courts, in the legislature, online, and in the streets.

For more than 100 years, the ACLU of Massachusetts has worked toward a more perfect union. Our goal is to uphold the promises of our state and federal constitutions while expanding their reach so that everyone in the Commonwealth and the nation may enjoy the privileges and responsibilities of a democratic society.

As a nonpartisan organization, we operate without fear or favor — putting principle over popularity. We safeguard everyone's rights by taking legal action in the courts, advocating for law reform at the State House and policy reform in municipalities, and providing public education and civic engagement opportunities in communities across the Commonwealth.

We are fighting for a world where our laws and our courts work in the best interests of the people. And we know that it takes all of us to make democracy a reality. For this reason, we hope you will support our mission by learning your rights and getting involved in local advocacy today.

We’ll say it again: we believe in democracy, a governing system built “of the people, by the people, for the people.” We are strong advocates of People Power. It takes everyone to create a more just society.

We proudly hold our government to the highest level of public accountability. To maintain our independence, we never accept government funding. We also never charge our clients for legal representation.

Education is also central to our values. We firmly believe that everyone has a right to nonpartisan resources that will allow them to participate fully in civic life. That’s why we offer free Know Your Rights materials and Advocates Academy trainings, and why we partner with community organizations to bring free civic education directly to Massachusetts neighborhoods.

We are deeply committed to advancing equal rights and equitable treatment for all people in the Commonwealth. Check out our Issues page to see this principle in action!