ACLU of Kentucky

The Rev. Louis Coleman Jr. - one of Louisville's most well-known civil rights leaders - passed away Saturday, June 5^th.  He was 64.

He founded the Justice Resource Center and the Black Chamber of Commerce, and served as the pastor of First Congregational Methodist Church in western Louisville. His civic life was focused on fighting for equality and fair treatment for minorities, women, and the poor, often organizing public protests to make his message heard and to gain the attention of Kentucky's political leaders. Discrimination, Rev. Coleman felt, violated the values of his faith and of democracy, and must be fought at every turn because, as he said, "It's the right thing to do."

Saturday afternoon, Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson and Congressman John Yarmuth issued statements about the Reverend's death:

"Reverend Coleman was a tireless fighter and a voice for those without a voice. We didn't always agree with each other, but I never doubted his dedication and devotion," said Mayor Abramson.

And Congressman Yarmuth said, "Our community and state have lost a tireless advocate for those whose voices were rarely heard and whose rights were often ignored.  Louis Coleman's passing leaves a vacuum that will be impossible to fill.  He often told me, in recent years, that he wished someone would step up and assume his role, but no one could.  Now, someone must. I will never forget his passion, his ferocity, his love, and something many people never saw, his humor.  His legacy will be a lasting one."

Rev. Coleman and the ACLU of Kentucky were partners on many issues including the campaign calling for a civilian review board to monitor the police department.  The ACLU of Kentucky will miss him deeply.

Our dear friend Lewis D. Cole passed away on Saturday, June 28^th. Cole dedicated his 93 years of life to community service working with organizations such as Metro United Way, the Jewish Community Center, The Temple, Metropolitan Housing Coalition, the Fairness Campaign, and the ACLU of Kentucky. Cole, a fifth generation Louisvillian on his mother's side and third generation on his father's side, was known for his compassion, vision, and inspiration. His character had a profound impact on many areas of our community and our nation.

As an early member of the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky, many knew and admired Lewis D. Cole. Suzy Post, former Executive Director, spoke fondly of their friendship, "I loved him for his true sense of what Judaism means. Tikkun... he leaves a huge hole in the nonprofit community here." Carla Wallace expressed that, "Lewis was unflappable in his ardent advocacy of civil liberties and civil rights and never hesitated to build bridges, even when this was challenging." Lewis D. Cole, leaves an incredible legacy and will be deeply missed by the Louisville community.

Kate Miller- Program Associate 

While earning a B.A in Psychology from Western Kentucky University I volunteered and later worked at a domestic violence shelter. This rewarding experience demonstrated the systemic problems that helped me to recognize my need to work toward social justice. I studied at the University of Louisville's Kent School of Social Work where I discovered, in conjunction with an internship at the Kentucky ACLU, my passion for advocacy. While at the ACLU I helped coordinate events, participated in fundraising activities, implemented research and lobbied through the legislative session. Through all this I was able to more cohesively analyze the relationship between civil liberties and social conditions.

After graduation, I worked as a Union Organizer for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); the largest public sector employee's labor union in the U.S with over 1.4 million members. In Colorado and Oklahoma, I successfully developed the union through a combined effort of grassroots organizing, leadership development and political action. I spent many nights living out of hotels and days waiting anxiously in airports before returning to Louisville in December of 2007 to organize state workers here in the commonwealth. While working for AFSCME I have had a plethora of diverse experiences. I've helped to coordinate trainings; everything from developing and presenting materials to coordinating participant's flights. I have knocked on many a stranger's door, facilitated a committee's first meeting and built valuable relationships. My diverse experience has been exciting and most importantly has afforded me the skills and gumption to bring back to the Kentucky ACLU.

This matter involved a significant victory for the privacy interests of potential jurors in Graves County, Kentucky.  At issue were several questions that Graves Circuit Court Judge Timothy Stark included in his juror questionnaire for a death penalty case.  These questions included:

            - What is your religious affiliation?

            - If married, what is your spouse's religious affiliation?

            - How often do you attend church?

            - Do you or your spouse hold an office or position at your church?

A concerned citizen contacted us about these questions and the Court's need for such intrusive information.  After a thorough review of the relevant legal precedents, we concluded that although religious affiliation information may be appropriate subjects of inquiry for potential jurors, it is only appropriate in those cases where the information is directly relevant to the ability to impartially decide the case (e.g. where the case involves allegations of  a religiously-motivated hate crime).  Once we communicated our concerns about the inclusion of these questions, the Administrative Office of the Courts informed us that Judge Stark agreed to refrain from utilizing this questionnaire in the future.