Publications

Welcome to our Reading Room!

In this section, we provide valuable resources for activists to get involved in civil liberties issues. We hope you find the following reading material useful.

We also provide, through partnership with Amazon.com, suggested books worth reading. Purchase a book you see here and throughout the web site by clicking on the book, and a portion of your purchase comes to the ACLU of Mississippi. Another way to support civil liberties in Mississippi!

Please note that the below links will open in a new internet browser window so that you do not lose your place here.

Please also note that some of the material below requires the use of the Adobe Acrobat browser plugin to read PDF files.

Civil Freedom Newsletter - Spring/Summer '07 (Click the image to the right) Town Hall Meeting Series Touch-Off Civil Liberties issues, Community Organizations State-wide FISA's misuse July 2007's HipHop Festival in Review Katrina Recovery Efforts Continue to Illustrate Failure of Initiative

ACLU of Mississippi's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights Series

The ACLU of Mississippi, in association with Equality Mississippi, presents three useful resources for the Mississippi Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. In a time when Mississippi laws do not recognize LGBT relationships, it's a must that LGBT persons in a relationship protect their rights and life's rewards. These booklets show how to make the current laws work for you.

Child Custody - This booklet details Mississippi law as related to LGBT persons and child custody.

Life Planning - This booklet covers such topics as advance health care directives that give your partner hospital decision and visitation rights, living together agreements, parenting agreements, funeral arrangements, property co-ownership, and more.

Real Estate Ownership - This booklet covers legalities of property ownership for LGBT people. It also includes example contracts and forms for your use.

There are several ways to request copies of these booklets:

• Call the ACLU of Mississippi at (601)355-6464.
• FAX the ACLU of Mississippi at (601)355-6465.
• EMAIL the ACLU of Mississippi
• Call Equality Mississippi at (601) 936-7673
• EMAIL Equality Mississippi

These booklets are also available here online free in Adobe Acrobat's PDF format for you to read and/or print out by clicking on the links above. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Suggested Books Worth Reading

In Defense of American Liberties : A History of the ACLU by Samuel Walker

Terrorism & The Constitution: Sacrificing Civil Liberties in the Name of National Security by James X. Dempsey, David Cole

The Constitutional Underclass: Gays, Lesbians, and the Failure of Class-Based Equal Protection by Evan Gerstmann

The Courage of Their Convictions: Sixteen Americans Who Fought Their Way to the Supreme Court by Peter H. Irons

Civil Liberties and the Constitution: Cases and Commentaries (8th Edition) by Lucius Jefferson Barker

FOR CHILDREN
A Kids' Guide to America's Bill of Rights: Curfews, Censorship, and the 100-Pound Giant by Kathleen Krull; Illustrated by Anna Divito

Shh! We're Writing The Constitution [book] by Jean Fritz; Illustrated by Tomie dePaola

Shh! We're Writing The Constitution [audio cassette]

ACLU Position Papers

A Brief History of the Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights briefing paper gives an overview of the historical events and principles on which the Bill of Rights was established. Great resource for learning about the background of one of the most important documents shaping American society.

ACLU: Freedom is Why We're Here
The ACLU: Freedom is Why We're Here position paper gives an overview of ACLU's history and mission to defend the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and U.S. laws. Contains a timeline of some ACLU highlights from securing the services of Clarence Darrow for the defense in the 1925 Scopes case to defending cyber-liberties in 1997's ACLU v. Reno free speech case.

Against Drug Prohibition
The Against Drug Prohibition briefing paper expresses ACLU's position on the criminal prohibition of drugs. Presents compelling arguments for the necessity of drug policy reform.

Death Penalty
The Death Penalty briefing paper gives an overview of reasons to support the abolition of the death penalty. Reasons are based on the argument that capital punishment violates Constitutional prohibitions on cruel and unusual punishment and equal protection of the laws.

Disability Rights
The Disability Rights briefing paper covers topics such as the legal definition of disability and the laws which protect the rights of people with disabilities.

Freedom of Expression
The Freedom of Expression briefing paper covers topics such as speech and national security, unprotected forms of expression, and the Supreme Court's interpretation of the First Amendment.

Freedom of Expression in the Arts and Entertainment
The Freedom of Expression in the Arts and Entertainment briefing paper gives an overview of First Amendment issues relating to the arts and entertainment fields. Discussed topics include sexual speech, media violence and obscenity.

Hate Speech on Campus
The Hate Speech on Campus briefing paper gives an overview of hate speech issues from a student's point of view.

Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered People
The Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered People briefing paper covers topics such as the constitutional basis for LGBT rights and same sex marriage.

Prisoners' Rights
Giving an overview of inmates' rights, the Prisoners' Rights position paper covers issues such as disciplinary sanctions, access to medical care and protection from assault.

Racial Justice
The Racial Justice briefing paper gives an overview of racial justice issues facing people of color and outlines ACLU's campaign for their fair and equal treatment.

Right to Choose: A Fundamental Liberty
Offering an overview of reproductive rights issues in the U.S., the Right to Choose position paper covers topics such as access to reproductive health services and the post-Roe struggle.

Rights of Immigrants
Focusing on civil liberty issues related to immigration, the Rights of Immigrants briefing paper covers topics such as include "English Only" laws and the asylum process.

ACLU Special Reports

American Drug Laws: The New Jim Crow
Delivered at the 1999 ACLU Biennial Conference, this speech focuses on how the drug war fuels racially discriminatory law enforcement. Glasser persuasively asserts that it is no longer possible in this country to discuss race discrimination without discussing drug policy, and it is no longer possible to discuss drug policy without discussing about race. He urges engagement in the politics of the drug war and on the issue of incarceration in order to address these problems.

Marriage Benefits
Civil unions would provide gay and lesbian couples some 350 benefits and protections offered by the state, but would carry little clout beyond the borders of Massachusetts . On the other hand, full-fledged marital standing would grant some 1,400 rights. Without either option, unmarried couples are afforded few benefits.

Censorship in a Box: Why Blocking Software is Wrong for Public Libraries
Arguing against the usage of blocking software in public libraries, the Censorship in a Box report discusses topics such as how blocking software works, and legislative and legal efforts supporting and battling cyber-censorship in the libraries.

Drug Testing: A Bad Investment
Surveying ten years of research and empirical evidence on drug use among workers, its impact on work performance, and whether urine testing is an effective tool for identifying drug abusers in the workplace, this report shows that workplace urine testing is unjustifiable from a business perspective.

Fighting Police Abuse: A Community Action Manual
In communities all across the U.S. people have organized to address police abuse. Some of the most successful strategies are described in this manual on how communities can combat police brutality.

HIV And Homeless Shelters: Policy And Practice
An estimated one-third to one-half of people living with AIDS in the U.S. are either homeless or at risk for homelessness. The ACLU AIDS Project addresses the intertwined crises of HIV and homelessness through this report.

HIV Partner Notification: Why Coercion Won't Work
Focusing on state-mandated coercive HIV partner notification, this report exposes why such policies fail and highlights public health alternatives.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using the Freedom of Information Act
This step-by-step guide offers detailed information, instructions and sample letters designed to help you make an effective FOIA request and exercise your right to "open agency action to the light of public scrutiny."

The Case Against the Death Penalty
ACLU's arguments for the abolition of the death penalty, written by a leading capital punishment scholar.