Ancestry of
Roger Nash Baldwin

Co-Founder of the ACLU

Roger Nash Baldwin

View famous kin of Roger Nash Baldwin

• • 1st Generation
  • Ahnentafel No:
  • 1 
  • Father:
  • Frank Fenno Baldwin 
  • Mother:
  • Lucy Cushing Nash   
  • Birth Date:
  • 21 Jan 1884 
  • Birth Location:
  • Wellesley, Norfolk, Massachusetts 
  • Christening Date:
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  • Christening Location:
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  • Death Date:
  • 26 Aug 1981 
  • Death Location:
  • Ridgewood, Bergen, New Jersey 
  • Burial Date:
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  • Burial Location:
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  • Notes: 

  • Co-Founder of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)

    Awarded the Medal of Freedom in 1981

    Roger Nash Baldwin was an American civil rights activist and co-founder of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Born in Wellesley, Massachusetts, on January 21, 1884, Baldwin dedicated his life to defending civil liberties and championing social justice.

    Baldwin's passion for civil liberties emerged during his early years as a student at Harvard University, where he became involved in progressive causes. In 1920, he played a pivotal role in founding the ACLU, an organization dedicated to safeguarding individual freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. Baldwin served as its first executive director until 1950, and later as a member of its board of directors.

    Throughout his career, Baldwin fearlessly fought against government encroachments on civil liberties, including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the right to privacy. He actively challenged unjust laws and policies, consistently advocating for the rights of marginalized groups, including workers, immigrants, and minorities.

    Baldwin's tireless efforts to protect civil liberties made a lasting impact on American society. His advocacy work and strategic legal battles resulted in numerous landmark Supreme Court decisions, shaping the interpretation and defense of civil liberties for generations to come.

    In recognition of his unwavering commitment to the cause, Baldwin received the Medal of Freedom from President Jimmy Carter, the highest civilian honor in the United States, on January 14, 1981. He passed away just a few months later on August 26, 1981, leaving behind a remarkable legacy of courage and dedication to protecting the fundamental rights of all individuals.

• Marriages for Roger Nash Baldwin

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  • Spouse:
  • Madeleine Zabriskie Doty
  • Marriage Date:
  • 8 Aug 1919
  • Marriage Location:
  • Manhattan, New York Co., New York

• Sources for Roger Nash Baldwin

  • ¹ Federal Census, MA, Norfolk County, 1900, Wellesley, E.D. 1078, Sheet 23B, Image 46 of 54.
  • ² Harvard College, Class of 1905, Fourth Report, June, 1920, Norwood, Massachusetts: The Plimpton Press (1920), 12-13.
  • ³ Massachusetts, U.S., Birth Records, 1840-1915, Birth record for Roger N Baldwin.
  • ⁴ New York, New York, Marriage Index 1866-1937, Marriage record for Roger N Baldwin and Badeleine Z Doty.
  • ⁵ New York, New York, U.S., Extracted Marriage Index, 1866-1937, Marriage record for Roger N Baldwin and Madeleine Z Doty.
  • ⁶ St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis, Missouri), 18 SEP 1919, p. 21, Marriage of Roger N Baldwin and Madeline Zabriskie Doty.
  • ⁷ The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts), 11 APR 1925, p. 16, "Jail for Man Known as Aristocrat at Harvard".
  • ⁸ The Boston Herald (Boston, Massachusetts), 20 OCT 1943, p. 23, Obituary for mother Lucy Cushing Baldwin.
  • ⁹ The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California), 27 AUG 1981, p. 3, Obituary for Roger Nash Baldwin.
  • ¹⁰ U.S., Passport Applications, 1795-1925, 06 JUL 1905, Application for Roger Nash Baldwin.
  • ¹¹ U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014, Death record for Roger Baldwin.
  • ¹² U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, Draft registration for Roger Nash Baldwin.
  • ¹³ U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942, Draft registration for Roger N Baldwin.
  • ¹⁴ Wikipedia, "Roger Nash Baldwin", (accessed 06/21/2023).

Roger Nash Baldwin photo by Bernard Gotfryd