The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Utah was founded in 1958, joining a growing number of regional and state organizations affiliated with the national American Civil Liberties Union.
Organized in New York in 1915 after World War I disputes over first amendment liberties, the parent ACLU was involved in civil liberties issues nationwide and played a pivotal role in the development of constitutional law in the 20th century.
The Utah affiliate of the ACLU was chartered by a group of citizens concerned with the abuse of constitutional rights in the state. The first "director" of the affiliate was Adam Duncan. However, the affiliate did not employ a paid Executive Director until 1972. This person was Steve Cook, who was replaced by James H. Joy in 1974. Issues dealt with by the affiliate through the 1950s, '60s and early '70s included police practices, school prayer, election issues, minority discrimination, prisoner rights, religious discrimination, and censorship. In the 1970's, ACLU chapters were formed in Ogden and Logan.
In 1976 the organization hired its first full-time Executive Director, Shirley Pedler. As a result of the execution of Gary Gilmore, Pedler's tenure is most memorable for the fight against the death penalty. In addition to other civil liberties problems, the affiliate also contested employment discrimination based on religion (Amos v. L.D.S. Church) during this time. Pedler served until 1987, when she was replaced by Robyn E. Blumner, who was, in turn, succeeded by Michele A. Parish in 1989. This period saw the ACLU of Utah make more and more of an impact on civil liberties issues as a result of expanded public education efforts, increased litigation, and significant increases in membership and funding. Issues in which the affiliate involved itself in during these years included capital punishment cases, employment discrimination, AIDS, and polygamy. During this time, the ACLU of Utah also played a significant role in the examination of abuses at the Utah State Penitentiary and county jail facilities throughout the state. The affiliate also stepped into the national spotlight while litigating against the practice of school prayer and battling restrictions on abortions in Jane L. v. Bangerter.
At the end of 1992, Parish was succeeded by Carole Gnade as Executive Director of the ACLU of Utah.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Utah photograph collection reflect the directorships of Robyn Blumner and Michele A. Parish, and portray the people involved with the ACLU as staff, board members, and cooperating attorneys. Also portrayed are fund raising events and issue-related protests. The inventory lists the identity of the individuals in each photo, when known. The fund raising events photographed, unless otherwise identified, are of the ACLU of Utah's Annual Dinner from the years of Michele A. Parish's directorship. Additional information concerning the activities of the ACLU of Utah, and the people and events documented in these photographs, is found in Ms 650.
Collection is arranged topically.
Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.
The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library's
Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.
Processed by Mark Jensen in 1993.
Manuscript materials were transferred to the the American Civil Liberties Union records (MS 0650).