Though generations of civil rights activism have led to important gains in legal, political, social, employment, educational and other spheres, inequality of resources and opportunity still disproportionately and negatively impact people of color, and New Yorkers of color still bear the brunt of attacks on civil rights and liberties.
The New York Civil Liberties Union aims to preserve and extend constitutionally guaranteed rights to people who have historically been denied their rights on the basis of race.
Please explore the links to the right and below to learn about the NYCLU's work to combat racism through litigation, organizing, legislative advocacy, and public education.
Civilian Oversight of Police
Rockefeller Drug Law Reform
Rockefeller Judicial Diversion Monitoring Project
Stop-and-Frisk
Youth Camera Action
3.8 millionfrom 2002 to 2011, black and Latino residents made up close to 90 percent of people stopped, and about 88 percent of stops – more than 3.8 million – were of innocent New Yorkers
The I-81 Story
Broadway Triangle Community Coalition v. Bloomberg
Charles v. City of New York (Challenging unlawful arrest of NYC resident for filming stop-and-frisk encounter)
Peoples v. Fischer (Challenging policies governing use of solitary confinement in New York's prisons)
Ligon v. City of New York (Challenging the NYPD's aggressive patrolling of private apartment buildings)
Ithaca City School District v. State Division of Human Rights (Arguing that state Human Rights Law covers school districts)
NYCLU v. New York County District Attorney (Seeking access to records concerning the D.A.'s Trespass Affidavit Program)
Legislative Memo: Statute of Limitations Expansion for Certain Sex Offenses
Statement in Support of the Community Safety Act: Guaranteeing Safety and Respect for All New Yorkers
Legislative Memo: Protecting Fundamental Rights and Liberties: A Legislative Agenda for 2011
Legislative Memo: Prohibits the Recording of Certain Identifying Information of a Person Subjected to Temporary Questioning
Legislative Memo: An Act to Amend the Executive Law
Legislative Memo: Bias-Related Violence - Civil Remedy
The NYCLU's Favorite Podcasts
New York Should Legalize Marijuana the Right Way (2019)
Opponents of Marijuana Legalization Forget How Bad the Status Quo is
Four Ways New York Got Stronger Over the Last 100 Days
We Shouldn't Let a 'Dangerous Standard' Endanger Bail Reform
Multi-Racial Students and Community Organizations Ask to Join Suit...
A Majority Black Neighborhood in Syracuse Faces a Transportation...
Stop-and-Frisk in the de Blasio Era (2019)
Stop-and-Frisks Plummeted Under New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, But...