Reverend James Lawson, Jr., will be the featured speaker at the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee's (ACLU-TN) Bill of Rights Celebration, which will be held on Saturday evening, Nov. 4, at the University
Club of Nashville.

This year's Celebration will honor the two courageous couples who served as plaintiffs in ACLU-TN's procedural challenge to the so-called "Marriage Protection Act." Renee Kasman and Nina Pacent and Scott and Jon Hines will
be presented with the 2006 Bill of Rights Award for standing up for the Constitution, against discrimination, and for the concept of marriage equality.

Other Celebration highlights include a special performance by Grammy-nominated songstress Maura O'Connell and the presentation of the 2006 Legislative Light award to voting-rights activist Denver Schimming.

Reverend James Lawson is an internationally-acclaimed civil rights and peace activist whose early work in Nashville helped initiate the national movement for desegregation and civil rights. He has continued to pursue non-violence, justice, and equality over the last half-century.  He is a Visiting Scholar at Vanderbilt University and the recently appointed Chair of the National ACLU Advisory Council.

According to Hedy Weinberg, ACLU-TN executive director, "ACLU-TN's celebration focuses on the fundamental values of freedom and equality that are the hallmarks of our democracy. This year we celebrate the conviction
and courage of our speaker and honorees, the guarantees of the Bill of Rights, and the work of the ACLU to ensure that in both times of tranquility and crisis our constitutional guarantees are protected."

ACLU-TN is the only statewide organization dedicated to protecting and promoting the constitutional guarantees of the Bill of Rights. ACLU-TN, an affiliate of the National ACLU, is a private, non-profit, non-partisan membership organization.

The ACLU-TN Bill of Rights Celebration will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a silent auction of autographed books and art. Dinner, the awards presentation, Reverend Lawson's remarks, and a special performance by Maura O'Connell will follow at 8:00 p.m. The Celebration will take place at the University Club of Nashville at 2402 Garland Avenue.

Tickets are $85 per person and a table for ten is $850. Seating is limited -reserve your tickets now by calling the ACLU-TN office at 615-320-7142.