On July 2, 1964, Lyndon B. Johnson put pen to paper and signed both the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act into law. At its core, the Civil Rights Act made it unlawful to discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, color, religion, or national origin.
Beyond that, the legislation banned segregation in public spaces and eliminated racial segregation in schools and housing altogether.
Once President Lyndon B. Johnson enacted this landmark law, African American representation in Congress surged — jumping from 3 members to 16 by 1966.
The ripple effects of this legislation were felt across America, lifting education outcomes, expanding employment opportunities, and improving health conditions for African Americans nationwide. The Civil Rights Act left a deep imprint on the nation's history and played a vital role in shaping the country.
Back in 1955, an African-American woman in Alabama was arrested after she refused to surrender her seat on a bus. That single act of defiance ignited a boycott ride that would alter the course of American history. Then, in 1963, another pivotal moment arrived when Martin Luther King stood before crowds and delivered his iconic speech at the "I Have a Dream" demonstration.
Central to Kennedy's 1960 victory was the question of adopting a new civil rights statute.
On November 27, 1963, President Kennedy invited the Committee on Equal Employment Opportunities to convene for its inaugural meeting, with Lyndon Johnson serving as the committee chair.
When President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, Vice President Johnson stepped forward with a pledge to carry on the push for civil rights reform under his administration.
Despite encountering fierce resistance, the Civil Rights Act ultimately became law. It stood as the first piece of legislation ever passed by the United States aimed at advancing civil rights.
What made the 1964 Civil Rights Act particularly groundbreaking was that it represented the first legislation to formally outlaw racial discrimination in both education and employment.
The 1965 Voting Rights Act proved instrumental in laying the groundwork for future legislation, including the Equal Rights Amendment, which was utilized to secure equal rights for women and all races.