This is one in a series of profiles marking the 60th anniversary of the ACLU of Kentucky’s founding. Each week through December 2015 we will highlight the story of one member, client, case, board or staff member that has been an integral part of our organization’s rich history.
Lawrence Hager, Jr.
“Service to your fellow man turns out to be the most satisfying thing you ever do. ... Let's go out tomorrow and keep on doing it." –Larry Hager
It is not hard to guess one of the reasons why former Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer publisher Lawrence “Larry” Hager, Jr. is supportive of the ACLU of Kentucky’s work. The freedom of the press, protected by the First Amendment, is critical to a democracy in which the government is accountable to the people. A free media functions as a watchdog that can investigate and report on government wrongdoing. What may come as a surprise to some is Hager’s support of the ACLU-KY youth leadership and development activities, including the Youth Rights Conference.
The ACLU-KY revived the Youth Rights Conference in the spring of 2006 after the event went on hiatus for several decades. Following the success of that first event, Lawrence and Frankie Hager gave a sizeable gift to the ACLU-KY to support the development of young people to carry the torch for civil liberties into the future. Nearly 10 years later, the event is hosted annually, and is now co-hosted with the Muhammad Ali Center. Just as the pages of a newspaper are a vibrant marketplace of ideas and a vehicle for ordinary citizens to express themselves and gain exposure to a wide range of information and opinions, so too is the annual Youth Rights Conference. Each year the event is free to participants, due in part, to the Hagers’ generous grant.
The ACLU-KY is just one of many organizations that has benefited from the Hager Educational Foundation since its creation in 1990.