Federal Legislation
The 1964 Civil Rights Act:
A landmark that made an attempt to improve the quality of life for every African American and other minority groups. Even though civil rights had a long history of political and legislative issues, the 1960's marked a lot of major activity by the federal government to protect minority rights. The act didn't resolve all problems of discrimination, but it opened the door to make progress by making less restrictions on public facilities, providing more job opportunities for minorities, strengthening voting laws, and limiting federal funding of discriminatory aid organizations and programs.
Although the United States Constitution doesn't contain an expressed reference to federal protection of minority rights, amendments ratified after the Civil War directly addressed the civil rights matter. The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments outlawed slavery, provided for equal protection under the law, guaranteed citizenship, and protected the right to vote for African American Americans. The amendments also allowed Congress to enforce these provisions by enacting appropriate, specific legislation.
A landmark that made an attempt to improve the quality of life for every African American and other minority groups. Even though civil rights had a long history of political and legislative issues, the 1960's marked a lot of major activity by the federal government to protect minority rights. The act didn't resolve all problems of discrimination, but it opened the door to make progress by making less restrictions on public facilities, providing more job opportunities for minorities, strengthening voting laws, and limiting federal funding of discriminatory aid organizations and programs.
Although the United States Constitution doesn't contain an expressed reference to federal protection of minority rights, amendments ratified after the Civil War directly addressed the civil rights matter. The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments outlawed slavery, provided for equal protection under the law, guaranteed citizenship, and protected the right to vote for African American Americans. The amendments also allowed Congress to enforce these provisions by enacting appropriate, specific legislation.
Voting Rights Act of 1965:
Efforts to break the grip of state disfranchisement had already gone under way, but only gained limited success overall. The murder of voting-rights activists in Philadelphia, Mississippi, gained national attention, along with numerous other acts of violence and terrorism. Congress determined that the existing federal anti-discrimination laws were not sufficient to overcome the resistance by state officials to enforcement of the 15th Amendment. President Johnson signed the resulting legislation into law on August 6, 1965. Section 2 of the Act, closely followed the language of the 15th amendment and applied a nationwide prohibition against the denial of the right to vote on a nationwide basis.
Efforts to break the grip of state disfranchisement had already gone under way, but only gained limited success overall. The murder of voting-rights activists in Philadelphia, Mississippi, gained national attention, along with numerous other acts of violence and terrorism. Congress determined that the existing federal anti-discrimination laws were not sufficient to overcome the resistance by state officials to enforcement of the 15th Amendment. President Johnson signed the resulting legislation into law on August 6, 1965. Section 2 of the Act, closely followed the language of the 15th amendment and applied a nationwide prohibition against the denial of the right to vote on a nationwide basis.