FREEPORT — The ACLU of Maine will honor Portland resident Orlando Delogu with the 25th annual Justice Louis Scolnik Award on May 2 at the Harraseeket Inn, 162 Main St.

In a distinguished career at the University of Maine School of Law spanning more than 47 years, Delogu has been a passionate, reasoned and outspoken advocate for civil liberties and the public interest. The group will also welcome featured speaker Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the national ACLU.

The award, established in 1989 to honor members of the legal community who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the protection of civil liberties, is named for former Maine Supreme Court Justice Louis Scolnik, who was a co-founder and the first president of the Maine Civil Liberties Union, now the ACLU of Maine.

As a founding member and board president of the Maine Civil Liberties Union, Delogu oversaw critical growth during the organization’s infancy from 1967 through 1973. During his tenure, the MCLU achieved its first major victory in a case involving a Belfast High School teacher who was fired for discussing sexuality as part of a class on Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.”

Romero is the national ACLU’s sixth executive director, and the first Latino and openly gay man to serve in that capacity.

A  Sponsors Reception featuring Delogu and Romero will take place from 6 to 7 p.m. Dinner and program will be from 7 to 9.

For information on the award, the dinner or purchasing tickets, visit www.aclumaine.org/scolnik2013.