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Since 1920, the ACLU has been the premier legal organization to stand up for the rights of racial and ethnic minorities. We fought for the Japanese-Americans who were sent to internment camps during World War II. We brought the lawsuit to integrate public schools in the ‘50s. We defended civil rights leaders who were harassed by the FBI in the 1960’s.
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina lifted the veil for the nation to see on how stark the gap between black and white is in Louisiana. But many problems affecting African-Americans have been a fact of life here for a long time.
The ACLU continually gets complaints by black people about being targeted by law enforcement. In 2007, we employed a Racial Justice Fellow to investigate these claims.
Our Fellow launched a year-long project to study racial profiling. According to data we’ve compiled from three parishes across the state, black people are up to three times more likely to be arrested than white people.
Often, these arrests are fueled by the notion, whether subconscious or overt, that African-Americans are more likely to commit crimes. National studies have repeatedly shown, particularly when it comes to committing traffic violations or carrying contraband, people of color do NOT violate the law any more than white people.
Racial profiling is unfair. It also violates the 4th Amendment to the Constitution. We urge police to collect data, including the race of every person subjected to a traffic stop, to begin addressing the problem. We continue to keep an eye on towns that we suspect grossly violate the rights of African-Americans.
Here are some other ACLU cases that involve unfair treatment of people of color.
-James Terry was arrested on the balcony of his own home days after Hurricane Katrina and spent more than a half year in jail, without being charged or seeing a lawyer, despite having committed no crime.
-The New Orleans Police Department tried to charge the Social Aid & Pleasure Club, a historic black group, an outrageous fee for a parade permit, then tried to cancel their 2008 Lundi Gras celebration.
-Bar owner Steve Elloie was Taser’ed in front of a barroom full of his patrons for absolutely no reason. Police just stormed the bar, which is a historically African-American bar in Central City, and attacked Elloie.
When people are stopped, searched, harassed, interrogated or arrested by law officers because of the way they look rather than because of anything they’ve done, we’re there to challenge it. If you believe your rights have been violated, click here.
We believe that the rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights are for all of us – rich or poor, regardless of skin color or ethnic origin or the size of one’s wallet.
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