Liberty Awards: 50 Years of ACLU

The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and Western Missouri celebrated its 50th Anniversary and the presentation of the 2011 Liberty Awards on October 27. Julian Bond was the keynote speaker and received the Gail and Irving Achtenberg Founders Awards. Other Liberty Awards recipients included Stinson Morrison Hecker, LLC, (Advocate of the Year); Alvin Brooks (Dick Kurtenbach Racial Justice Awards); and Dan Nilsen (Marjie and John Swomley Issue Activist Award). The proceeds from the event will go to support the education, outreach, litigation , and lobbying efforts of the ACLU, an organization that works to protect civil liberties for all.

 Hon. Emanuel Cleaver, Julian Bond, and John Bluford

 Susan Schmelzer, Ruth Shechter, Judge George Draper, Judge Judy Draper,

Niki Lee Donawa, and John Bluford

Pamela Horowitz, Julian Bond, Niki Lee Donawa, and Pam Woodard

Ralph Reid and Brian Williams