Civil Rights Act of 1964

Definition

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark federal law in the United States that prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It played a crucial role in advancing the African American struggle for civil rights, fulfilling the Kennedy promise, and becoming a cornerstone of Lyndon Johnson's Great Society agenda.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 banned discrimination in public accommodations, such as hotels, restaurants, and theaters, based on race, color, religion, or national origin.
2. The act also prohibited discrimination in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, and created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to enforce these provisions.
3. The act gave the federal government the power to withhold federal funds from programs that practiced discrimination, which was a crucial tool in desegregating schools and other public facilities.
4. The passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a major victory for the civil rights movement, which had been advocating for federal legislation to end segregation and protect the rights of African Americans.
5. The act was a key part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's 'Great Society' program, which aimed to address issues of poverty, inequality, and discrimination in American society.

Review Questions

• Explain how the Civil Rights Act of 1964 addressed the African American struggle for civil rights.
  • The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark piece of legislation that directly addressed the African American struggle for civil rights. It banned discrimination in public accommodations, employment, and the use of federal funds for programs that practiced discrimination, effectively dismantling the Jim Crow system of segregation that had long oppressed African Americans. The act gave the federal government powerful tools to enforce civil rights and desegregate public facilities, representing a major victory for the civil rights movement and its efforts to secure equal rights and opportunities for African Americans.
• Describe how the Civil Rights Act of 1964 fulfilled the Kennedy promise and became a cornerstone of Lyndon Johnson's Great Society agenda.
  • The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a key part of President John F. Kennedy's civil rights agenda, which he had been working to advance before his assassination in 1963. When Lyndon B. Johnson took office, he made the passage of the Civil Rights Act a top priority, fulfilling the Kennedy promise and cementing it as a cornerstone of Johnson's broader 'Great Society' program. The Great Society aimed to address issues of poverty, inequality, and discrimination through a series of legislative initiatives, with the Civil Rights Act serving as a critical foundation for these efforts. By prohibiting discrimination and empowering the federal government to enforce civil rights, the act laid the groundwork for Johnson's broader vision of creating a more just and equitable society.
• Analyze the long-term impact of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 on American society.
  • The Civil Rights Act of 1964 had a profound and lasting impact on American society. By outlawing discrimination in public accommodations, employment, and the use of federal funds, the act helped to dismantle the Jim Crow system of segregation and opened up new opportunities for African Americans and other marginalized groups. The act also empowered the federal government to enforce civil rights, setting the stage for further legislative and judicial actions that advanced the cause of equality. Over time, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the broader civil rights movement it was a part of helped to transform American society, challenging long-standing patterns of discrimination and inequality and paving the way for a more inclusive and just future. The act's legacy continues to shape debates and policies around issues of race, gender, and civil rights to this day.

Related terms

Segregation: The practice of requiring separate public facilities for different races, such as schools, transportation, and public accommodations.

Jim Crow Laws: State and local laws that enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States after the end of Reconstruction until the 1960s.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC): A federal agency created by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to enforce laws against employment discrimination.