Civil Rights Act

Civil Rights Act
Author: Cecil Stoughton, White House Press Office, July 2, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signs as Martin Luther King, Jr. looks on, Public Domain
  • Signed on July 2, 1964.
  • The landmark law banned discrimination based on race, gender, religion or national origin in all public places and by employers and labor unions.
  • It also created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and led to 2 other important laws – the Voting Rights Act and the Fair Housing Act.
  • Had to overcome strong resistance from southern U.S. states.
  • Was the signature achievement of the movement Martin Luther King Jr. led.