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| Formation | 1963 Austin, Texas, U.S. |
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| Type | 501(c)(3) organization |
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| Purpose | Promote atheism and secular humanism; oppose religion in the public sphere |
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| Website | atheists |
| Part of a series on |
| Atheism |
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American Atheists is a non-profit organization in the United States dedicated to defending the civil liberties of atheists and advocating complete separation of church and state.[1] It provides speakers for colleges, universities, clubs, and the news media. It also publishes books and American Atheist Magazine.[1][2][3]
The organization was founded in 1963 by Madalyn Murray O'Hair. She had earlier filed a lawsuit against her school board, with her son William J. Murray as plaintiff, to challenge compulsory prayer and Bible-reading in public schools. Her case, Murray v. Curlett, was consolidated with Abington School District v. Schempp before being heard by the United States Supreme Court. In 1963, it ruled that mandatory Bible reading in public schools was unconstitutional.[4]
- ^ a b "About: American Atheists". American Atheists. 2006. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
- ^ Homepage of American Atheist Magazine
- ^ Entry for 'The American atheist' at World Cat. Archived November 29, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ McAnally, Amber (April 2, 2001). "Waters sentenced for role in O'Hair murder". The Daily Texan. Archived from the original on January 18, 2008. Retrieved December 1, 2007.