Racial Justice

The ACLU of Maryland aims to preserve and extend constitutional and statutory rights to persons who have historically been discriminated against on the basis of race. We have also assumed the additional charge of helping Maryland overcome the stains of a history of legal segregation that manifests itself in structural and institutional racism that still exists. That legacy expresses itself in rural areas like the Eastern Shore as well as in Baltimore City, where historic racism has contributed to a concentration of people with low income within a densely populated urban setting now undergoing economic transition.

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BLACK LIVES MATTER

Because Black Lives Matter, the ACLU of Maryland works to end racism and oppression against Black people.

The ACLU of Maryland knows that Black people deserve to always have their whole selves and voices considered and valued in the laws, policies, and practices of our institutions, particularly in our government.

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REPARATIONS FOR SLAVERY NOW

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We will never achieve racial justice in America if this country does not examine the impact of slavery and its legacy – and make strides toward achieving reparatory justice.
Reparations are about acknowledging the damages inflicted on Black Americans through enslavement and post-emancipation exclusionary polices; repair, healing, respect, and restoring Black dignity and reconciliation, so that we can walk together to create a more just and humane society.

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The Latest

Know Your Rights
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Know Your Rights: Interacting with ICE in the DMV

In the DMV, where daily life crosses jurisdictional boundaries, immigration enforcement functions as a regional force. Families in this region often live in one jurisdiction, work in another, and rely on schools and hospitals, and public services spread across both state and district borders. But your rights do NOT change when you cross these borders.
News & Commentary
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Fear and trauma: How a Boy Scout’s childhood changed with a police encounter

When police point guns at children, they don’t just risk physical harm – they inflict lifelong trauma. That’s why what happened to a 15-year-old Frederick County child.
Press Release
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Caucus of African American Leaders & ACLU of Maryland Statement on Removal of MLK Day and Juneteenth from the National Park Services Free Entry

These dates honor two of the most consequential moments in American history: the ongoing struggle for civil rights and the emancipation of enslaved people.
Issue Areas: Civil Rights, Racial Justice
Press Release
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ACLU Maryland Statement on Wicomico County 287(g) Agreement Hold

In response to months of public opposition, the Wicomico County Executive and Sheriff abandoned their increasingly unpopular proposal to enter a 287(g) agreement with ICE.
Issue Areas: Immigrants' Rights, Civil Rights, Racial Justice, Legal Justice System
Court Case
Dec 07, 2023

Wicomico County NAACP et al. v Wicomico County et al

Several Black voters and local organizations filed a lawsuit in federal district court in Baltimore under the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965 challenging the at-large component of the election system for the Wicomico County Council and Board of Education.
Court Case
Oct 27, 2023

Justice for Korryn and Kodi Gaines

In 2016, Baltimore County Police Officer Royce Ruby shot and killed 23-year old Korryn Gaines, a Black woman, and in the process also critically wounded her son, five-year old Kodi Gaines. Young Kodi was left without a mother.
Court Case
Feb 22, 2023

Caroline County NAACP et al v Federalsburg

Seven Black voters joined the Caroline County Branch of the NAACP and the Caucus of African American Leaders to file suit against Federalsburg in federal district court in Baltimore under the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Court Case
Oct 11, 2022

Defend Anton's Law in Montgomery County

Update: On February 24, 2023, Judge Karla Smith granted the right of the Maryland Coalition for Justice and Police Accountability to intervene in the Montgomery County FOP lawsuit. The judge vacated Montgomery County’s agreement with the FOP to litigate the case in secret, saying it was improper.