Civil Rights Act of 1964
In 1964, almost 100 years
after the end of the Civil War and an end
to slavery, African-Americans were still
denied all the rights and privileges they
were entitled to as American citizens.
They were being denied their right to
vote. In many public places, there were
separate drinking fountains and separate
restrooms for African-Americans. Many
hotels, restaurants and theaters had
“whites only” signs posted. Educational
and employment opportunities
were not as good as they
were for other people.
After several years
of protests and
demonstrations by
African-Americans, our
representatives in the
United States Congress
recognized that laws
were needed to change
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 Accomplished:
African-Americans, but also for
> The “whites only” signs came
women.
down and people of all races were
allowed to go to hotels, restaurants > Equal opportunities for women
>
and theaters. Sections set aside
for African-Americans to sit in on
buses, at sports events and other
places disappeared.
Equal employment opportunities
were established not only for
in high school and college sports
were established.
Although the Civil Rights Act of 1964
addressed voting rights, it took another
act by Congress to end discrimination
in voting.
this unfairness. They
passed the Civil
Rights Act of 1964
and on July 2,
President Lyndon
Johnson signed
it into law.
Historians
agree that this
law was arguably the
most important law passed in
the 20th century.
Quiz Yourself!
q
Name three ways African-Americans were
being discriminated against in 1964.
w
What was the name of the legislation passed
in 1964 to try and remedy this treatment?
e
Which president signed the legislation into
law?
Activities
q In your newspaper, find articles and pictures
Civil Rights Timeline
1865-1870
Passage of the Civil Rights Amendments.
The 13th Amendment banned slavery, the
14th Amendment defined citizenship and
equal protection of the laws, and the 15th
Amendment provided that no man could
be denied the right to vote based on “race,
color or previous condition of servitude.”
1875
Congress passes Civil Rights Act based on
14th Amendment.
1883
U.S. Supreme Court strikes down the Civil
Rights Act of 1875 on the grounds that
the Constitution did not extend to private
businesses.
1954
The United States Supreme Court
announces that segregation in public
schools is unconstitutional in the Brown v.
Board of Education case.
1964
1965
President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Voting Rights Act of 1965 eliminated literacy tests and poll taxes.
showing the many races in your community.
How do people of every race in your
community contribute to what makes your
community a great place to live?
w Visit your local newspaper office or use online
archives to find newspapers from July 1948.
Research stories about how President Truman
desegregated the military.
e What were the Jim Crow laws? What is meant
by the term segregation? How did the Jim
Crow laws and segregation go against what
our nation stands for?
r Learn more on the Civil Rights Act of 1964
and the Civil Rights Movement at http://
civilrightsmuseum.org/learn/educators,
http://www.lbjlibrary.org, and http://www.
senate.gov/artandhistory/history/civil_rights/
background.htm
Missouri Learning Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.
CCRA.R.2, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.3, CCSS.ELALiteracy.CCRA.R.10
This Newspaper in Education feature brought to you by this newspaper, The Missouri Bar and the Missouri Press Association.
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Public Accommodations
On July 2, 1964, President
Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil
Rights Act of 1964 into law. The most
controversial part of this law was Title
II, which bans racial discrimination
in privately owned “public
accommodations.” What does the phrase
“public accommodations” mean? Why
was this section so controversial?
their places to eat, sleep, see a movie
and watch a ballgame. In 1964, some of
Public accommodations are places
these businesses did not allow Africanlike hotels, theaters, restaurants and
Americans to come into their places.
sports arenas that are open to do
They posted “Whites Only” signs.
business with people who come into
Congress could
Title II of the
Civil Rights Act
not rely on the 14th
Amendment as a basis
was very controversial
to stop discrimination in
because Congress was telling
privately-owned public
private businesses that they
accommodations because
the 14th Amendment only could not discriminate against
prohibits governments
African-Americans.
and other public entities
like schools from discrimination.
Instead, Congress relied
on its power to make
laws about interstate
commerce—business
between the states.
In the landmark cases
of Heart of Atlanta Motel
Inc. v. United States, 379
U.S. 241 (1964) and
Katzenbach v. McClung,
379 U.S. 294 (1964), the
United States Supreme
Court held that the U.S.
Congress could use
the power granted to it
by the Constitution’s
Commerce Clause to
force private businesses
to abide by the Civil
Rights Act of 1964. It
said that any business
that held itself out as
accommodating the
public was open for
business from people
from any state and,
therefore, the business
was engaged in
interstate commerce.
The Civil Rights
Act of 1875
In 1875, Congress actually passed
a Civil Rights Act and outlawed
discrimination in private businesses.
The 1875 Congress said they had the
power to do this because the 14th
Amendment of the Constitution
stated that everyone was to be treated
equally under the law. However, the
Civil Rights Act was rarely enforced.
In 1883, the Supreme Court
of the United States said the
14th Amendment only meant
that the federal, state and local
governments have to treat people
equally. It had nothing to do with
private businesses, and repealed
the Civil Rights Act of 1875.
Quiz Yourself!
q
What are public accommodations as defined
by the Supreme Court?
w
What was the key word in the legislation
passed by Congress in 1964 to ensure it
had the power to prevent discrimination in
private businesses?
e
When the Heart of Atlanta Motel Inc.
challenged the case, what was cited as the
reason Congress had the power to create
the law?
Missouri Learning Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.
CCRA.R.2, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.3, CCSS.ELALiteracy.CCRA.R.10
This Newspaper in Education feature brought to you by this newspaper, The Missouri Bar and the Missouri Press Association.
Civil Rights Act of 1964
How Women Were Affected by the Act
Learn More
On July 2,
1964, President
Lyndon Johnson signed
the Civil Rights Act of
1964 into law. Although
the Act originally
began as a way to end
discrimination against
African-Americans, the
final bill also banned
discrimination against
women.
How women came
to be included in the
Act is very interesting. A
Congressman, who was
against the Act, added
gender discrimination to
the bill thinking that his
Title VII.
The section of the Civil Rights Act
called Title VII is about fairness in the
workplace. Employers need to be able
to hire people who have the skills or
education they need for the jobs that they
have available. Title VII says that when
employers get ready to hire or promote
someone, the employer may not make
race or gender part of the qualifications.
Men and women were to be paid equal
wages for equal work. Women could
not be discriminated against for being
pregnant or for being the mothers of
small children.
> In 1975, a ban on age discrimination
was added to Title VII. This law says that
fellow lawmakers would
never vote for equal rights
for women!
employers have to be fair to older people
in the workplace. While employers are
entitled to have the best people possible
filling the jobs in their workplaces, age
cannot be a factor for firing or demoting
a person.
q
Look in the Sports section of your newspaper.
What kinds of sports are girls participating in
in your community? Why is this important to
your community?
w
Do you think there should be an equal
number of sports offered for boys and girls in
high school and college? Why or why not?
e
Interview a woman who was in high school
before the 1980s and ask what kinds of sports
programs were available in her high school
for women as compared to men. Ask how she
felt about that. How do you feel about equal
opportunities for boys and girls to participate
in high school and college sports?
r
Look up information about age
discrimination and the Americans with
Disabilities Act? Why were these important
additions to the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
> In 1990, the American with Disabilities
Act was added to the Civil Rights
Act. This law ensures that a person’s
disability is not a factor for getting a job
or getting a promotion at work if the
person is able to do the job.
Title IX.
Title IX was added to the Civil Rights
Act in 1972. Title IX stated that no one
could be excluded from participating
from any educational program
or activity because of gender.
Although school activities are
never mentioned in this law,
that is where it has had the
greatest impact. Now public high
schools and colleges must offer
an equal number of sports and
extracurricular activities for boys
and girls.
Quiz Yourself!
q
Which U.S. President signed the Civil Rights
Act of 1964 into law?
w
What does the section called Title VII
protect?
e
How does the section called Title IX impact
your local high school?
r
What are two later additions to Title VII
mentioned in this article?
Missouri Learning Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.
CCRA.R.2, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.3, CCSS.ELALiteracy.CCRA.R.10
This Newspaper in Education feature brought to you by this newspaper, The Missouri Bar and the Missouri Press Association.