MSS 253 ACLU of Ohio Papers

              OHIO American Civii Liberties Union
H I S T O R Y of Ohio Records
21 cubic feet
Standard inventory
Collection Synopsis
Provenance: The Ohio Historical Society acquired the American
Civil Liberties Union of Ohio Records as a gift of the union,
through the auspices of directors Laura B. Ober and Benson Nolman,
in 1968 and 1983 respectively. Barbara Floyd processed the
collection in November 1983.
Property rights: The Ohio Historical Society owns the property
rights to this collection.
Copyrights: The union has dedicated such copyrights as it possesses
in this collection to the public. Consideration of all other copy-rights
is the responsibility of the author and publisher.
Access: Boxes 12- 13 are restricted. Researchers must sign the
Ohio Historical Society confidentiality agreement before using
boxes 12- 13. Boxes 1- 11 and 14- 21 are open under the rules and
regulations of the Ohio Historical Society.
Citation: Researchers are requested to cite collection name,
collection number, and the Ohio Historical Society in all footnote
and bibliographic references.
Transfer: Photographs were transferred to the audiovisual collec-tions
and publications to the library in November 1983.
Organizational sketch: The American Civil Liberties Union
( A. C. L. U.) was created by Roger N. Baldwin in 1920 as an outgrowth
of the National Civil Liberties Bureau. The Bureau handled civil
liberties cases involving freedom of speech, press, association,
and conscience during World War I.
An Ohio chaeter of the A. C. L. U. known as the Youngstown Workers'
Defense League was formed in 1920, and chapters in other cities
followed. In ca. 1954 the statewide affiliate was sanctioned by
the national A. C. L. U., and in 1971 the A. C. L. U. of Ohio was incor-porated.
The Ohio A. C. L. U. is authorized by the national organi-zation
to investigate all civil liberties issues within the state.
A. C. L. U. activities include initiating or joining in litigation,
supporting or opposing legislation, conducting educational pro-grams,
issuing statements, and meeting with public officials.
The Ohio A. C. L. U. is comprised of state members of the national
organization and governed by a constitution and by- laws. Each
chapter throughout Ohio elects one delegate to the state board
of directors and one additional delegate for every 200 members
in that chapter. Elerbers of the national board who reside in Ohio
are ex- officio menhers of the state board. The Ohio board of
directors elects the executive committee consisting of the presi-dent,
vice president, secretary, treasurer, executive director,
and qeneral counsel.
OHIO WISTORICAL SOCIETY
1982 Veima Avenue. Colun~ bui, Ohio 43211- 2497 ph: 614.297.2300 fx: 614.297.2411
www. ohiohistory. org