The Civil Rights Act of 1964

Today is the 40th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The Civil Rights Act is one of the great achievements of American democracy. It is worth reminding ourselves how difficult it was to get the bill passed, and how many people opposed the bill, arguing it would interfere with private freedom and state's rights. The rights that many Americans now take for granted were the result of many years of courageous struggle by civil rights protesters and the persistence of politicans like Lyndon Johnson and Hubert Humphrey.

Title II of the Civil Rights Act mandated non-discrimination in places of public accomodation like restaurants, stores, and hotels. It responded to the demands of the Civil Rights Movement for an end to the discriminatory practices of private businesses across a wide spectrum of everyday life.

Title VII of the Act prohibited discrimination in employment, and created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Title VII also banned discrimination on the basis of sex; thus it was a milestone in protection for women's rights as well as the rights of African-Americans.

Finally, Title VI of the Act required that educational institutions that received federal funds not discriminate on the basis of race. This made the Supreme Court's 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education practically enforceable, and it placed the weight of the national legislature behind the goal of school desegregation. After the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Brown v. Board of Education truly became the law of the land. It is therefore entirely fitting that we celebrate both the 50th anniversary of Brown and the 40th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act this year.