Rob Sherman
| Rob Sherman | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 2, 1953 |
| Died | December 9, 2016 (aged 63) Marengo, Illinois |
| Political party |
Democratic (before 2008) Green (2008–2016) |
| Spouse(s) | Celeste (m. 1978–2016) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater |
National Louis University Northwestern University Harper College |
| Occupation | Businessman |
Robert I. "Rob" Sherman (April 2, 1953 – December 9, 2016) was an American political activist, perennial candidate, and businessman. He was known for his role as an Illinois Green Party candidate and for his atheist advocacy. He died in a plane crash outside Marengo, Illinois on December 9, 2016 at the age of 63.
Sherman was born and raised a Jew. He stated that he was an atheist since age 9, and that "it became a big deal" when he was 13. He spent his adolescence in Highland Park, and according to a candidate questionnaire, he attended National Louis University, Northwestern University, and Harper College. He worked as an office supply dealer.
In 1981, Sherman listened to a radio speech by Madalyn Murray O'Hair, an activist and founder of American Atheists. The speech motivated him to join the organization, and he eventually became its Illinois director and national spokesman. He first achieved notoriety on April 1, 1986, when he sued the village of Zion, Illinois for displaying a Christian cross on a water tower, as well as other property. The case eventually went to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1992, which ruled in Sherman's favor and ordered municipalities to drop the use of religious symbols.
Sherman frequently received attention in the 1980s and 1990s due to his atheism activism. He filed lawsuits against numerous American municipalities, against the Boy Scouts of America in 1997, and against Township High School District 214 in 2007 for what he considered unconstitutional endorsements of religion. He was involved in numerous other lawsuits, of which at least one other went to the Supreme Court in the late 2000s. After 10 years of membership in American Atheists, he formed his own organization, Rob Sherman Advocacy.
...
Wikipedia