People for the American Way

People for the American Way
Name	People for the American Way
Type	Nonprofit advocacy organization
Founded	1981
Founder	Norman Lear
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Key people	Norman Lear; Michael Keegan; Ben Jealous
Focus	Civil rights; civil liberties; progressive public policy

People for the American Way

People for the American Way was founded in 1981 as a progressive advocacy organization in Washington, D.C. by television producer Norman Lear amid cultural and political debates involving figures such as Ronald Reagan, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, and institutions including the Moral Majority and the Committee for the Survival of a Free Congress. The group has engaged with legal and cultural battles involving actors like William F. Buckley Jr., judges such as Antonin Scalia and Sandra Day O'Connor, and legislative conflicts in venues including the United States Senate, the United States House of Representatives, and state capitols from California to Texas. Its work intersects with organizations and movements including American Civil Liberties Union, NAACP, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, ACLU Foundation, Human Rights Campaign, and media outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal.

History

Founded by Norman Lear and colleagues in response to the rise of the Religious Right and electoral coalitions around Ronald Reagan and the Moral Majority, the organization positioned itself alongside groups like the American Jewish Committee, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and the National Council of Churches to oppose nominations and policies promoted by figures such as Robert Bork and Phyllis Schlafly. Early campaigns addressed judicial confirmation fights involving Anthony Kennedy and Clarence Thomas, and cultural controversies tied to broadcasting standards raised by Federal Communications Commission decisions and advocacy by James Dobson and Pat Robertson. During the 1990s and 2000s the group responded to initiatives from Newt Gingrich, legislative proposals from Tom DeLay, and Supreme Court rulings by justices including William H. Rehnquist and John Roberts Jr., aligning with allies such as Center for American Progress and MoveOn.org.

Mission and Activities

The organization's stated mission emphasizes protecting civil liberties and opposing what it characterizes as extremism promoted by leaders like Jerry Falwell or groups like the Christian Coalition of America. Activities include litigation support in cases before the Supreme Court of the United States, educational programs about the role of the Constitution of the United States, voter engagement efforts in battleground states like Florida and Ohio, and media campaigns engaging outlets such as CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News Channel. It has produced research cited by scholars at institutions including Harvard University, Yale University, and Georgetown University, and has collaborated with unions like the AFL–CIO and civil rights groups like National Urban League on civic participation initiatives.

Organizational Structure and Leadership

Governance has included a board drawn from entertainment, legal, and advocacy sectors featuring figures connected to Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, and academic institutions such as Columbia University and Stanford University. Executive leadership has included presidents and executive directors who worked with policymakers in the United States Senate and federal agencies like the Department of Justice; notable leaders have engaged with allies including Ben Jealous and networks such as Precision Strategies and Democratic National Committee. Staff roles have encompassed legal counsel who have argued cases involving statutes like the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and organizational experts who liaise with state election officials in Pennsylvania and Michigan.

Advocacy and Campaigns

Campaigns have targeted judicial confirmations (e.g., opposition campaigns around nominees associated with Federalist Society advocacy), legislative fights over reproductive rights involving groups like Planned Parenthood, and cultural debates over arts funding and broadcasting standards in which entities such as National Endowment for the Arts and networks like PBS were implicated. The organization ran voter protection programs during presidential contests involving Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden, and has coordinated with coalitions including Indivisible, Fair Fight Action, and the Southern Poverty Law Center on litigation and public education. It has also addressed religious liberty cases connected to litigants like Masterpiece Cakeshop and legal strategies promoted by firms such as Alliance Defending Freedom.

Funding and Financials

Funding streams have included major gifts from philanthropists and foundations linked to entities such as the Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and individual donors associated with the Soros philanthropic network, as well as grassroots contributions solicited through partnerships with platforms like ActBlue. The organization's financial filings list grants and program revenues similar to nonprofits like the Brennan Center for Justice and budgeting practices comparable to advocacy groups such as Alliance for Justice and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Audit and oversight practices align with standards advocated by Council on Foundations and nonprofit watchdogs including Charity Navigator and GuideStar.

Criticism and Controversies

Critics have included conservative commentators and organizations such as Heritage Foundation, American Enterprise Institute, Federalist Society, and media personalities on Fox News Channel who dispute its positions on judicial nominations, campaigning tactics, and use of donor funds. Controversies have arisen in disputes over partisan alignments similar to those afflicting groups like Americans United for Separation of Church and State and debates about nonprofit electioneering rules governed by the Internal Revenue Service and rulings such as Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. Opponents have compared its activities to advocacy by groups like MoveOn.org and American Majority while supporters counter with endorsements from organizations including NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and leaders from Democratic National Committee coalitions.

Category:Civil rights organizations based in the United States