Obituary: Barbara Shack, Fierce Advocate for Reproductive Rights

The New York Civil Liberties Union mourns the death of Barbara Shack, an emeritus member of the NYCLU Board of Directors and a women’s rights advocate who served as interim director and built the organization’s state legislative program in the 1980s. Through her tireless work the NYCLU became a force to be reckoned with in Albany—shaping policy and state law affecting the lives of millions of New Yorkers.

Among her proudest and lasting legacies is protection for abortion coverage under the state’s Medicaid program. The strategies and tactics she and her fellow advocates developed then continue to protect women to this day. As a member of the Governor’s Task Force on Life and Law she was instrumental in passing New York’s Surrogate Decision Making law that allows the withholding of extraordinary medical interventions to protect the best interest or wishes of a dying family member.

“Barbara will always be remembered fondly by the NYCLU as an indispensible leader and a formidable fighter for civil liberties and women’s rights,” said Executive Director Donna Lieberman. “Her legacy is lasting and cannot be underestimated.”