In Memoriam: Barbara Franklin

Barbara was a brilliant, passionate member of the ACLU of Hawai‘i Board of Directors for over 21 years. She was a superwoman—a mother of five, a practicing attorney, a community servant of extraordinary reach.

As a Board Director—from 2004 until the end of her luminous life—Barbara brought a towering depth of legal expertise, an unshakeable commitment to civil liberties, and a moral courage that never flinched. She would undertake the heaviest of projects that were sitting on the backburner. She revamped and modernized our bylaws so that this institution could endure and evolve with grace.

In Board meetings, she was the de facto timekeeper; she called out folks going too long and she held the line so the mission could move forward with efficiency and ease. She was fearless in crafting our historic position against U.S. complicity in Israel’s genocide against Palestinians. She denounced the criminalization of poverty. She stood for kūpuna displaced from their homes. She saw the fractures others walked past. She built our presence on Hawai‘i Island with her own hands and her own heart, and she carried the voice of these islands to ACLU national convenings across America.

We will miss her energy, leadership, and friendship, and we are honored that Barbara named the ACLU of Hawai‘i as her desired beneficiary for gifts made in her memory.

The ACLU has been fighting for the protection and advancement of civil liberties in the state of Hawai‘i for over 60 years. We are committed to continuing the legacy Barbara has been part of shaping: an ACLU affiliate that is a true champion for the people of Hawai‘i.

You can honor Barbara's memory with a gift by:

• Sending a check to the ACLU of Hawai‘i Foundation with "In memory of Barbara Franklin" in the memo
• Reaching out to Development Director, Jana Light ([email protected] | 808-223-2690) to discuss a donation