The first Black ACLU President shares how discrimination fueled her legal career

In February, Deborah Archer became the President of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) — the non-profit organization committed to defending the rights of US citizens. Archer is the first Black President of of the ACLU, an accomplishment that she sees as a milestone.

"I think for many people this election is important because the role that the ACLU has played throughout history,” said Archer. “But a big part of me is still frustrated that in 2021 we're still tackling so many firsts for Black women and people of color."

When asked about the first time Archer experienced racism, she says, "far too young."

“I remember being eight or nine and waking up to find that someone had vandalized our home. They spray painted KKK on our house,” Archer told Yahoo Life. “It was a formative experience that really shaped the trajectory of my life."

Since 2016, the ACLU sued the Trump administration more than 400 times for injustices like the Muslim travel ban, reducing abortion access for women, and for using tear gas on protesters. In 2020, the fight for racial justice was reignited after the murder of George Floyd, and as protesters took to the streets, Archer immediately understood the weight they carried.

“I don’t think anyone could come out of this year where we have seen racial inequality and injustice laid bare in the way that we have, and not recognize that advancing racial justice has to be at the forefront of the work that we all do,” said Archer.

Video Transcript

DEBORAH ARCHER: I remember being eight or nine and waking up to find that someone had vandalized our home. They spray painted KKK on our house. My parents had to explain to me who the KKK was. How could a child not remember that? It was a formative experience that has really shaped the trajectory of my life.

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Hi, I'm Brittany Jones-Cooper. And on this episode of "Unmuted," I'm sitting down with Deborah Archer, the new President of the American Civil Liberties Union. Congrats are definitely in order. You're the first Black president of the ACLU. What does that mean to you?

DEBORAH ARCHER: It has been a milestone for the ACLU, but also a milestone for me. And I think for many people, my election holds importance because the role that the ACLU has played throughout history, it being in the forefront of the fight to protect civil rights and civil liberties.

But of course, there's a big part of me that is frustrated that in 2021 we're still tackling so many firsts for Black women and people of color. But it doesn't change the fact that I'm really proud to be a part of that history.

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: As a lawyer, a litigator, and now as the President of the ACLU, I want to know, though, going back, what was the first time you became aware of racism?

DEBORAH ARCHER: Unfortunately, far too young. We were the only Black folks on our block and just one of three Black families in the community. And our neighbors worked really hard to make sure that we knew that we weren't welcome. I was afraid to go into our house. I was afraid to walk the streets of our community, to play in the park, to go to school.

I needed to figure out why, what causes this kind of injustice, what would try to push our family from our home. And I decided to, ultimately, work to challenge that kind of discrimination that my family and I experienced then and that I continue to experience throughout my career.

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I actually think that something that was interesting about 2020. Me and my peers started kind of remembering instances of racism or discrimination that we had, that we sort of put in little boxes to the side, just to sort of survive or navigate.

DEBORAH ARCHER: That was one of the challenges with 2020. As you mentioned for you, for me, and for so many other people, that the box was just too full. It was overwhelming. And

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Was it?

DEBORAH ARCHER: And you could not put anything else to the side.

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: How much did 2020 impact the mission of the ACLU?

DEBORAH ARCHER: I don't think that anyone could have come out of this year where we have seen racial inequality and injustice laid bare in the way that we have and not recognize that advancing racial justice has to be at the forefront of the work that we all do. We have not only an opportunity, but an obligation to finally do the work of dismantling inequality and dealing with the legacy of colonialization and slavery and Jim Crow.

It's a fight that we have to engage in on multiple fronts. The courtroom is one, but also changing the conversation, changing the narrative, building power in our communities, building momentum for change. Those are all things that should be viewed as success as well.

BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I want to thank you for being out there as a leader in the conversation. And thank you for joining us today.

DEBORAH ARCHER: Thank you so much for having me. I enjoyed speaking with you.