American Atheists is a national non-profit organization that advocates for the separation of church and state and for the civil rights of atheists and nonreligious people in the United States. It conducts public education, policy advocacy, litigation, and community outreach to reduce religious privilege in government and public institutions.
Promotes strict separation of church and state; opposes government endorsement of religion (prayer in public schools, religious displays on public property, government funding for sectarian activities); pursues litigation and administrative complaints on behalf of nonbelievers; advances secular public policy and protections against discrimination based on nonbelief.
Primarily funded by individual donations, membership dues, fundraising events, merchandise sales, and occasional grants.
Founder Madalyn Murray O'Hair; allied organizations and frequent partners include Freedom From Religion Foundation, American Humanist Association, Center for Inquiry, and civil‑liberties groups such as the ACLU on church‑state issues.
Non-profit advocacy organization
