Civil Rights Act | Summary, Facts, President, & History (2024)

United States [1964]

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The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

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Last Updated: Article History

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Date:
1964
Location:
United States
Context:
American civil rights movement
Key People:
Lyndon B. Johnson
Coretta Scott King

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Top Questions

What did the Civil Rights Act of 1964 do?

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was intended to end discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin in the United States. The act gave federal law enforcement agencies the power to prevent racial discrimination in employment, voting, and the use of public facilities.

Who signed the Civil Rights Act into law?

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed into law on July 2, 1964, by U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Who had proposed the Civil Rights Act?

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 had been proposed by U.S. President John F. Kennedy in 1963.

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Civil Rights Act, (1964), comprehensive U.S. legislation intended to end discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin. It is often called the most important U.S. law on civil rights since Reconstruction (1865–77) and is a hallmark of the American civil rights movement. Title I of the act guarantees equal voting rights by removing registration requirements and procedures biased against minorities and the underprivileged. Title II prohibits segregation or discrimination in places of public accommodation involved in interstate commerce. Title VII bans discrimination by trade unions, schools, or employers involved in interstate commerce or doing business with the federal government. The latter section also applies to discrimination on the basis of sex and established a government agency, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), to enforce these provisions. In 2020 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that firing an employee for being gay, lesbian, or transgender is illegal under Title VII’s prohibition of sex discrimination (Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia). The act also calls for the desegregation of public schools (Title IV), broadens the duties of the Civil Rights Commission (Title V), and assures nondiscrimination in the distribution of funds under federally assisted programs (Title VI).

The Civil Rights Act was a highly controversial issue in the United States as soon as it was proposed by Pres. John F. Kennedy in 1963. Although Kennedy was unable to secure passage of the bill in Congress, a stronger version was eventually passed with the urging of his successor, Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson, who signed the bill into law on July 2, 1964, following one of the longest debates in Senate history. White groups opposed to integration with African Americans responded to the act with a significant backlash that took the form of protests, increased support for pro-segregation candidates for public office, and some racial violence. The constitutionality of the act was immediately challenged and was upheld by the Supreme Court in the test case Heart of Atlanta Motel v. U.S. (1964). The act gave federal law enforcement agencies the power to prevent racial discrimination in employment, voting, and the use of public facilities.

American civil rights movement Events

Brown v. Board of EducationMay 17, 1954 sit-in movement1960 - 1961 Freedom RidesMay 4, 1961 - September 1961 March on WashingtonAugust 28, 1963 Civil Rights Act1964 Watts Riots of 1965August 11, 1965 - August 16, 1965 Loving v. VirginiaJune 12, 1967 Poor People’s CampaignJune 19, 1968

The 50th anniversary of the act was celebrated in April 2014 with an event at the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library in Austin, Texas. Speakers included U.S. Pres. Barack Obama and former presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. The U.S. Congress marked the anniversary by posthumously awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to civil rights leaders Martin Luther King, Jr., and Coretta Scott King.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Meg Matthias.

Civil Rights Act | Summary, Facts, President, & History (2024)

FAQs

Civil Rights Act | Summary, Facts, President, & History? ›

This act, signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on July 2, 1964, prohibited discrimination in public places, provided for the integration of schools and other public facilities, and made employment discrimination illegal. It was the most sweeping civil rights legislation since Reconstruction.

What are 3 facts about the Civil Rights Act? ›

Provisions of this civil rights act forbade discrimination on the basis of sex, as well as, race in hiring, promoting, and firing. The Act prohibited discrimination in public accommodations and federally funded programs. It also strengthened the enforcement of voting rights and the desegregation of schools.

What president was involved in the Civil Rights Act? ›

On July 2, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed the civil rights bill into law in a White House ceremony.

What is the Civil Rights Act history? ›

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was intended to end discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin in the United States. The act gave federal law enforcement agencies the power to prevent racial discrimination in employment, voting, and the use of public facilities.

Which president played an important role in the passage of the Civil Rights Act? ›

This is the story of how Lyndon Johnson set the stage for this legislation years before and how he choreographed passage of this historic measure in 1964—a year when the civil rights movement was rapidly gaining strength and when racial unrest was playing a role in the presidential campaign.

What are the 5 most important civil rights? ›

Our country's Constitution and federal laws contain critical protections that form the foundation of our inclusive society – the right to be free from discrimination, the freedom to worship as we choose, the right to vote for our elected representatives, the protections of due process, the right to privacy.

What were the three 3 most important goals of the civil rights movement? ›

The movement helped spawn a national crisis that forced intervention by the federal government to overturn segregation laws in southern states, restore voting rights for African-Americans, and end legal discrimination in housing, education and employment.

Which president helped civil rights the most? ›

By contrast, Lyndon Johnson aggressively and effectively pursued a comprehensive civil rights bill, making it the cornerstone of his Great Society agenda. He used the grief of the country following Kennedy's assassination to propel legislation through a reluctant Congress.

Who fought for civil rights act? ›

Johnson pressed hard in the U.S. Congress, with support of the NAACP, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the U.S. Justice Department, and key members of Congress such as Hubert Humphrey (D-MN), Everett Dirksen (R-IL), Emanuel Celler (D-NY), and William McCulloch (R-OH), to secure the bill's passage.

Who passed the Civil Rights Act? ›

Despite Kennedy's assassination in November of 1963, his proposal culminated in the Civil Rights Act of 1964. President Lyndon Johnson signed it into law just a few hours after it was passed by Congress on July 2, 1964. The act outlawed segregation in businesses such as theaters, restaurants, and hotels.

What are the 10 civil rights? ›

Civil rights generally include ensuring peoples' physical and mental integrity, life, and safety, protection from discrimination, the right to privacy, the freedom of thought, speech, religion, press, assembly, and movement.

Which party passed the Civil Rights Act? ›

With six wavering senators providing a four-vote margin of victory, the final tally stood at 71 to 29—27 Republicans and 44 Democrats joined forces to support cloture. They were opposed by nay votes from six Republicans and 21 Democrats. The Senate's civil rights proponents had achieved a remarkable victory.

Why was 1964 important? ›

In myriad ways, 1964 was the year when Americans faced choices: between the liberalism of Lyndon Johnson or Barry Goldwater's grassroots conservatism, between support or opposition to the civil rights movement, between an embrace of the emerging counterculture or a defense of traditional values.

Which president started the Civil Rights Act? ›

On the night of July 2, 1964, President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in a televised White House ceremony.

Which president signed both of the Civil Rights Acts? ›

United States President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Among the guests behind him is Martin Luther King Jr. Johnson, who wanted the bill passed as soon as possible, ensured that it would be quickly considered by the Senate.

What are some fun facts about the Civil Rights Act of 1964? ›

Interesting Facts about the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Southern democrats were staunchly against the bill and filibustered for 83 days. Most voting requirements beyond age and citizenship were eliminated by the Voting Rights Act. Martin Luther King, Jr. attended the official signing-in of the law by President Johnson.

15 Civil Rights Act of 1964 Facts - Have Fun ...Have Fun With Historyhttps://www.havefunwithhistory.com ›

By outlawing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, the act sought to promote equality, justice, and the protection of civil ri...
The social, legal, and political forces that battled discrimination for decades won a major victory with the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964—the most si...
Considered the nation's most important civil rights legislation since Reconstruction (1865-1877), it prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, r...

What are 3 causes of the civil rights? ›

The civil rights movement is a legacy of more than 400 years of American history in which slavery, racism, white supremacy, and discrimination were central to the social, economic, and political development of the United States.

What 3 things did the Civil Rights Act of 1964 make legal? ›

This act, signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on July 2, 1964, prohibited discrimination in public places, provided for the integration of schools and other public facilities, and made employment discrimination illegal. It was the most sweeping civil rights legislation since Reconstruction.

What are 3 effects of the civil rights movement? ›

There were many specific legal reforms that were consequences of the efforts of the Civil Rights Movement, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968.

What are 3 facts about the Bill of rights? ›

It spells out Americans' rights in relation to their government. It guarantees civil rights and liberties to the individual—like freedom of speech, press, and religion. It sets rules for due process of law and reserves all powers not delegated to the Federal Government to the people or the States.

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