Saturday the American Civil Liberties Union elected Brooklyn Law School professor and constitutional law scholar Susan Herman to be its president. Herman has served on the ACLU’s National Board for 20 years, including on its Executive Committee and its General Counsel, according to an ACLU press release.
“I’m deeply honored to have the privilege of leading the ACLU, especially as our country goes through a period of profound transition,” said Herman. “Through every administration, no matter who is president, there are always challenges requiring the protection of our country’s fundamental freedoms, and that remains especially true in these tumultuous times. The ACLU has been and will remain on the front lines to protect our civil liberties.”
Herman has a strong background in constitutional law. She began as an ACLU intern and has written several Supreme Court briefs on the ACLU’s behalf. According to the Associated Press, Herman plans to increase the organization’s presence in international issues and to reach out to groups at home who are traditionally wary of the ACLU, including religious communities and African-Americans.
