Founded | September 4, 1980 |
---|---|
Founder | Norman Lear |
Type | Advocacy group |
52-1366721 | |
Legal status | 501(c)(4) social welfare organization |
Focus | Progressive advocacy |
Location | |
Area served
|
United States |
Method | Media attention, direct-appeal campaigns |
Lara Bergthold | |
Affiliations | People for the American Way Foundation, People for the American Way Voters Alliance, People for the American Way Action Fund |
Revenue (2014)
|
$5,768,692 |
Expenses (2014) | $5,690,909 |
Employees (2014)
|
61 |
Mission | "To mobilize members and activists to fight for public policies that reflect the values of freedom, fairness, and equal opportunity." |
Website | www |
People For the American Way (PFAW) is a progressive advocacy group in the United States. Organized as a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization, PFAW was founded in 1981 by television producer Norman Lear. Lear founded the organization in 1980 to challenge the Moral Majority.
PFAW was founded by television producer Norman Lear in opposition to the highly publicized agenda of the Moral Majority, a formerly prominent and influential American political organization associated with the Christian right. Officially incorporated on September 4, 1980, its co-founders included Democratic Congresswoman Barbara Jordan and Time Inc. chairman and CEO Andrew Heiskell. PFAW began as a project of the Tides Foundation, a donor-advised fund that directs money to politically liberal causes.
Former presidents of PFAW include Tony Podesta and Ralph Neas.
Soon after its founding, PFAW launched an affiliated 501(c)(3) organization, People for the American Way Foundation, for the purpose of conducting more extensive educational and research activities for left-wing causes. Later, the People For the American Way Voter Alliance was launched as a political action committee.
PFAW monitors what it characterizes as "right-wing" activities. Toward this end, the organization sponsors a website called Right Wing Watch, which showcases video footage of groups and individuals who take conservative stances on social issues.