Susan Goering facts for kids

Susan K. Goering (born 1952) is an American lawyer who has spent her career fighting for civil rights. She is famous for working against segregation and other types of institutional racism. She did a lot of this important work while at the ACLU of Maryland.

Susan's Early Life and Education

Susan Goering was born in 1952 in North Newton, Kansas. Her family were Mennonites, a group known for their peaceful beliefs. These ideas helped shape her life's path. She was also inspired by watching Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speech during the famous March on Washington.

Her family lived in Ohio for a while before moving to Wichita. Susan studied political science and English at the University of Kansas. She then went to law school there too.

Fighting for Civil Rights

From the very start of her career, Susan Goering focused on civil rights law. She worked hard to fight against unfair treatment, especially for African Americans.

Working on School Segregation

After law school, from 1982 to 1985, she worked on an important case. This case was about school segregation in Missouri, called Missouri v. Jenkins. It was one of the last big cases like Brown v. Board of Education in the United States. These cases aimed to end separate schools for different races.

Leading the ACLU of Maryland

In 1986, Susan became the legal director for the ACLU of Maryland. The ACLU is an organization that works to protect everyone's rights and freedoms. After 10 years, she became the main executive director for the Maryland branch.

The Baltimore Sun newspaper said she was a "strong leader." Under her guidance, the ACLU became known for fighting racism, even in its less obvious forms.

Important Legal Cases

Susan Goering's work in Maryland included many important cases:

• She successfully fought to close old jails in Maryland's Eastern Shore. These jails had very poor conditions.
• She led a case called Bradford v. Board of Education. This case helped change how Maryland funded its schools. It made sure schools received fair money.
• She won a major lawsuit about housing called Thompson v. HUD. This case helped end unfair housing practices that separated people by race.
• She often took legal action against the Maryland State Police. This included cases about "Driving While Black," which meant stopping Black drivers unfairly. She also fought against police spying on peaceful protesters.
• Besides her work on racial justice, Susan also fought for marriage equality. She helped same-sex couples get the right to marry.

Susan Goering retired from the ACLU in 2018. She had worked with the organization for over 30 years.

Awards and Recognition

Susan Goering has received many awards for her important work:

• In 2006, she received the Robert M. Bell Award for Leadership in Public Service. This award came from the University of Baltimore.
• In 1994, she got the Legal Excellence Award for the Advancement of Unpopular Causes. This was from the Maryland Bar Foundation.
• In 2000, she received the Keeper of the Dream Award on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
• In 2014, she was named to the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame.