ACLU Massachusetts

Background

The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts was established in 1920 as the first state affiliate of the national American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). ACLU Massachusetts claims that its origins trace back to a group of activists who met in Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood in response to crackdowns on anti-war dissent, labor activism, and immigration in the post–World War I period. That group formed what was initially known as the Massachusetts Civil Liberties Committee—later renamed the Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts (CLUM)—which ultimately became ACLU Massachusetts. ⁵

ACLU Massachusetts conducts legal advocacy surrounding free speech, abortion access, and cultural censorship. The group has supported public speaking rights for figures such as birth control advocate and eugenicist Margaret Sanger and opposed local censorship of media and literature deemed controversial. Throughout the mid-20th century, ACLU Massachusetts defended individuals targeted for anti-Vietnam War activities or suspected communist affiliations. ⁴

ACLU Massachusetts has expanded its litigation and policy efforts to include racial justice, reproductive rights under state constitutional protections, and opposition to capital punishment. In more recent years, it has advanced policy changes related to policing practices, immigration detention, and LGBT access to marriage and public accommodations. ⁴

Advocacy

The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts advocates in areas associated with left-of-center policy goals. ACLU Massachusetts describes its work as “protecting and expanding reproductive freedom,” which includes advocating for access to contraception and abortion, and challenging policies like abstinence-only education. The organization supported the pro-abortion Massachusetts ROE Act of 2020 and continues to push for regulatory and funding measures to strengthen abortion access, often alongside pro-abortion coalitions like Beyond Roe. ACLU Massachusetts was also a partner in hosting the 2019 Boston Women’s March, a pro-abortion demonstration. ⁶

ACLU Massachusetts claims to advance racial justice and criminal law reform by focusing on ending mass incarceration, mandatory minimums, and racial profiling, as well as advocating for the reallocation of resources toward public health and community investments. As part of its Racial Justice Program launched in 2015, ACLU Massachusetts develops left-of-center policies on policing, voter access, and higher education, and leads initiatives like BIPOC to the Ballot Box, a voter-turnout initiative targeting minority turnout in elections. ^{2  3}

Financials

The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts claims to receive no federal funding. In 2024, ACLU Massachusetts reported $3,970,327 in total gifts, grants, and contributions, its lowest revenue from these sources in five years. ⁷

Leadership

As of 2025, Carol Rose was the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, a position she had held since 2003. Prior to this role, from 1997 to 2002 Rose served as an attorney at Boston legal firm Hill & Barlow. From 1996 to 1997, Rose served as a clerk for former chief judge of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts Patti B. Saris, appointed by then-President Clinton. ^{8 9}

As of 2022, Kirsten Mayer was the president of ACLU Massachusetts board of directors. ¹⁰

Litigation

The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts has been and as of 2025 continued to be involved in multiple court cases and legal battles. As of July 2025, ACLU Massachusetts was involved in a legal battle to secure the release of Rumeysa Ozturk, a student detained in Louisiana after writing an op-ed for her school newspaper. The group argues that Ozturk’s detention is unlawful and solely based on Ozturk’s protected speech. ¹¹ Additionally, ACLU Massachusetts, along with the left-of-center labor union National Education Association (NEA), was challenging the U.S. Department of Education’s guidance on civil rights law, alleging it oversteps its authority and misinterprets Supreme Court precedent. ¹²