65 years of Defending and Expanding Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

On March 29, 1961, the 23rd Amendment allowed D.C. residents to vote for president. 7 months later, on November 8, 1961, the ACLU of the District of Columbia was founded as a small group of volunteer lawyers committed to protecting civil rights and civil liberties in the nation’s capital area. Originally established as the National Capital Area Civil Liberties Union (NCACLU), covering northern Virginia, Montgomery County, and Prince George’s County in Maryland, the organization evolved over time—becoming the ACLU of the National Capital Area serving D.C. and Montgomery County and Prince George’s County and, in the 2010s, the ACLU of the District of Columbia serving the District of Columbia. While its name and geographic scope shifted, its core mission has remained constant: to defend and protect the civil rights and liberties of our community.

For 65 years, the ACLU-DC has played a pivotal role in shaping a culture of rights-respecting governance in Washington, D.C. The organization has been instrumental in protecting First Amendment rights, championing criminal legal system reform, and freedom from discrimination. Central to its work has been advocacy for D.C. self-governance and advancing D.C. Statehood, reflecting a deep commitment to ensuring that the people of the District have both their rights protected and their voices fully represented in our democracy.

To celebrate this landmark anniversary, we documented key highlights from the ACLU of the District of Columbia's 65-year history as we look ahead to the years to come.