About Us

The ACLU of Virginia works alongside our fellow Virginians to make liberty, justice, equity, inclusion, and dignity a reality for all people.

The ACLU of Virginia is a nonpartisan organization that defends and promotes the civil liberties and civil rights of all Virginians, particularly for those who are still fighting to secure the full exercise of those rights. With an unwavering commitment, we fight with and for Virginians for systemic change in our communities, in the legislature, and in the courts to ensure fairness, liberty, and justice and to realize the promise of the U.S. Constitution.

As a multi-issue organization, the ACLU of Virginia is currently fighting for the rights of trans students, ensuring access to safe and legal abortions, pushing for critical reforms to our criminal legal system, protecting the right to vote, and defending civil rights and liberties in Virginia to realize equality for all.

Learn more about our current focus in the ACLU of Virginia’s 2023-2026 Strategic Plan.

Since our founding in 1969, our organization has been at the forefront of many issues, fighting alongside brave clients, trusted partners, and relentless activists to protect people’s rights. Some of our most notable accomplishments include:

• Filing a lawsuit that resulted in the Supreme Court striking down state bans on interracial marriage in the landmark 1967 Loving v. Virginia case, which also marked the beginning of the Virginia affiliate of the ACLU.
• Challenging state laws and government actions that limited free speech and freedom of religion.
• Ending sex segregation at the University of Virginia and, in turn, setting a precedent for integration at other colleges.
• Blocking a 1992 attempt to dilute the power of Black voters through gerrymandered election districts.
• Challenging the Virginia Department of Corrections’ use of solitary confinement and other cruel practices.
• Ensuring marriage equality in Virginia prior to the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision.
• Protecting abortion access in Virginia by challenging TRAP laws that put unnecessary burdens on patients and the providers who serve them.
• Defending the rights of trans students to use bathroom facilities in line with their gender identity.

The ACLU of Virginia is part of ACLU National and its 52 affiliates across the United States. Become a member today to join the fight.

Our legal, policy, communications, and grassroots organizing teams work together to address the biggest threats to marginalized communities. Our integrated approach is how we create systemic, lasting change in the Commonwealth.

Our core values guide the work we do and the way we approach it:

Check out opportunities to work with us and join our team of dedicated advocates.