Founded in 1920, the American Civil Liberties Union is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, membership organization devoted to protecting the civil liberties of all Americans as laid out in the Bill of Rights, and extending them to groups that have traditionally been denied their basic rights.  The ACLU of Washington, a regional affiliate,  is involved in litigation and advocacy on behalf of individuals, and lobbies on scores of bills in the state legislature and local councils. In addition, the ACLU. of Washington is active in many public education and community organizing projects.  The Whatcom County Chapter  is one of the seven local chapters of the  ACLU. of Washington and has worked to realize the goals of the national and state organizations on a community level.