Introduction
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 changed the course of United States history. It eliminated legal discrimination and provided equal rights to all. According to this act, there would be no discrimination in providing employment on the basis of color, race, or gender. It was first proposed by President Kennedy and then carried forward through the civil rights movement led by figures such as Martin Luther King Jr.
The main objective of this act was to give equal rights to Black people and end the differences between whites and Blacks. The act was not easily passed but resulted from one of the most complex and greatest political battles. The initiative for this act was taken after a long historical struggle following the Civil War to end segregation in public places in America. Those who supported this bill expressed their achievement by saying that the bill should have passed many years before and, with its passage, explained that it was long overdue. It was first proposed by President Kennedy and then strongly supported by the civil rights movement. John F. Kennedy was the first president of the United States of America to take this legislation to Congress by sending messages to congressional leaders that the Constitution of America is color-blind and that the practices of America should follow the same principle. Even though Kennedy tried several times to advance the bill after bringing up the issue, his initial proposal did not immediately make it through. Still, his efforts are praised by historians because strong voices continued to rise through the civil rights movement, and one of the most influential voices was that of Martin Luther King Jr. The discussion in this paper will thoroughly explain and highlight the important steps and gradual success of this act, with affirmative actions and cases showing its impact on society.
Discussion
Authorities used several methods against Martin Luther King Jr. and the protests he helped lead in Birmingham, but those actions ultimately failed to stop the movement. Those actions by the police were described and deeply criticized in the Birmingham jail letter, which appealed to Americans’ moral conscience. This moral consciousness helped gain more support; not just Black people but also white people became part of those protests. Kennedy remarked that the actions of Police Commissioner Bull Connor were significant because his methods of combating protests benefited the civil rights movement. Those protests and the response to them in Birmingham are regarded as remarkable events in the civil rights movement because they not only won the sympathy of many Americans but also helped cause Kennedy to start supporting civil rights legislation more strongly (Andrews & Gaby, 2015).
Before the incident in Birmingham, Kennedy was close to indifferent toward this movement because he was considering both sides: the people in the movement and the southern state leadership, who were unwilling to give Black people the same rights as whites. Kennedy was unwilling to lose the support of southern states and did not want the movement to fail. A few liberals in the southern states were willing to grant these rights, but Kennedy needed electoral support from a broader constituency. Kennedy even tried to address concerns through his economic plan and educational programs to assist Black people, but the movement was strong enough not to give up the opportunity to achieve equal rights. Kennedy made each move very carefully to avoid losing support from either side until the Birmingham incident occurred.
Right after the Birmingham situation, Kennedy became less concerned about opposition from southern leaders and even risked electoral support by emphasizing the Civil Rights Act. He started presenting the idea of making it law. Kennedy and Johnson, who were planning to pass the legislation, knew very well that powerful political forces would create every possible hurdle to stop them, so they started planning to move as quickly as possible. By working together with other liberal leaders, they planned to introduce the bill in 1963, which Kennedy hoped to pass to give civil rights to every American. Kennedy spoke to the public about his plan to introduce the bill and give Black people the same rights as whites, which he said American law should already have provided because segregation and injustice had no place in it. Right after his announcement, Kennedy gathered leaders from his party whom he thought would support the bill. He also gathered supportive groups and religious organizations to win as much support as possible. Despite all the hard work by Kennedy and Johnson, along with the support of many groups and leaders, the bill still faced several hurdles to passage. This goal was extremely difficult to achieve, but they continued working toward it (Epstein, 2014).
The committee created to support the bill, known as the Leadership Conference, started helping to shape it and included a major provision concerning fair employment practices. They wanted to secure provisions that would provide equal employment opportunities. With this clause, they also added a section under which the Attorney General would help govern implementation of the law. While work on the bill continued, King kept protesting and helped lead the March on Washington for freedom and jobs for Black people. King organized many protestors, while Kennedy also mobilized the public to build pressure so that the bill could pass. The protest in Washington adopted the civil rights cause and called for passage of the bill. The protest was a major success for Black people and King, but supporters still had difficulty moving the bill through the House Judiciary Committee.
The bill needed to be revised so that enough members of Congress could accept it, but in the meantime it could not lose its core purpose of protecting civil rights. The bill passed through the Judiciary Committee and moved to the House of Representatives. These developments had seemed difficult to imagine because of the resistance shown by opposing leaders, but supporters still managed to achieve this stage. While all this was happening, Kennedy was assassinated. This was a major shock to everyone working in support of the bill. After his assassination, all eyes turned to Johnson, who was now the president (Andrews & Gaby, 2015).
Many leaders fighting for this cause feared that Johnson would no longer support the bill because he was originally from the South and much of the opposition came from southern states. Soon, those fears turned into surprise for supporters and disappointment for opponents because many had expected Johnson, who had his political base in the South, to stop the legislation. History still recalls Johnson’s remarkable address shortly after he became president of America. He honored Kennedy and told Congress that passing the bill would be one of the greatest and most noble acts they could undertake to pay respect to Kennedy. Johnson worked hard, and the bill passed the House of Representatives with a majority of votes. The bill also included provisions protecting equal employment opportunities for women, including minority women.
When the bill reached the Senate, the hardest part began because passing it in the Senate was extremely difficult at that time. In the Senate, supporters needed to overcome a filibuster, and because of this there was prolonged debate on the bill. After months of debate aimed at defeating the legislation, the filibuster was finally ended on 10th June 1964 by the required vote, and the bill proceeded toward final passage. The bill’s passage changed history because southern senators had long used filibusters to block civil rights legislation. The bill included provisions under which segregation in public places and discrimination on the basis of color, race, and gender would be prohibited, and equal employment opportunities would be protected. On 2nd July 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the bill into law in a major White House ceremony (Guy & Fenley, 2014).
Some cases after the Civil Rights Act was passed showed its implementation and how it prohibited discrimination. Judicial rulings clarified protections provided by the act:
- Griggs v. Duke Power was a famous case in which the Supreme Court rejected employment criteria that discriminated against African Americans applying for jobs. The case was brought by Black employees who challenged requirements involving a diploma and intelligence tests for certain jobs. The employees argued that the requirements unfairly restricted Black workers’ employment opportunities.
- Another example is Cleveland Board of Education v. LaFleur. In this case, the Supreme Court addressed a policy affecting pregnant women. Mandatory maternity-leave rules created problems because women were required to leave work well before childbirth, which could affect their employment and family lives.
- The third example is Burlington Industries. In this case, the Supreme Court addressed sexual harassment under Title VII and considered employer responsibility for harassment by supervisors. The case was filed by Kimberly Ellerth, who quit her job at Burlington Industries, where she worked as a salesperson. She alleged that she had been continuously sexually harassed by her supervisor and threatened with adverse employment consequences. Under federal civil rights law, she was able to bring a claim concerning the alleged harassment.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was also followed by affirmative-action policies. These policies were based on measures intended to address discrimination against Black people, women, and other groups. Affirmative-action policies focus on employment and education so that people who were once denied opportunities can move forward in society. A few of the most important points associated with affirmative action are:
- These actions were part of policies intended to improve access to educational institutions for people from underprivileged groups who had faced discrimination. Institutions also provided outreach and, in some cases, financial aid.
- Affirmative-action policies sought to increase the number of applicants from minority groups so that institutions could become more diverse.
- Supporters argue that improved educational access can lead to better job opportunities.
- Supporters also argue that diversity in education can broaden students’ experiences because they encounter people from different cultural backgrounds.
- Because discrimination affected the socioeconomic conditions of many groups, affirmative-action policies were intended to improve access to education and employment.
Affirmative action also received substantial criticism, and critics referred to it as an outdated system that should be eliminated. They present the following points to support their stance:
- Students who gain admission based partly on such policies may be treated differently by management and peers because of perceived special privileges. This treatment can influence their experiences and performance.
- Critics argue that the Fourteenth Amendment, which protects equal rights, can conflict with forms of affirmative action that treat applicants differently on the basis of race.
- Critics argue that affirmative action may disproportionately help middle-class applicants while people from lower-income groups may need different policies.
- Critics also argue that students should be evaluated primarily on performance and consistent standards (Wiececk & Hamilton, 2014).
The political fight led by southern Democratic opponents was one of the most significant legislative showdowns in American history. After passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, legal segregation in covered public accommodations and employment discrimination prohibited by the statute became unlawful. Regarding employment, the bill stated that employment opportunities could not be denied on prohibited grounds such as race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. To make sure that the law was enforced, federal agencies and the Department of Justice were given enforcement responsibilities. Activists involved in the movement were extremely happy and satisfied that their struggle had produced legislation that could change many lives. The law prohibited forms of discrimination and segregation that had long harmed African Americans. There were also several political leaders who were clearly displeased with passage of the law. They tried various tactics to make the movement fail. Authorities had used police power and harsh rhetoric against protestors, but defeating the movement proved difficult. The United States took an important step toward ending legal racial discrimination. The bill was a step toward the future and away from a past in which many wrongs had been committed against Black people.
After the success of the Civil Rights Act, two other major acts expanded protections. The first was the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which targeted discriminatory voting practices. The second was the Fair Housing Act of 1968, which prohibited certain forms of discrimination involving the sale and rental of housing. The objective of these acts was to advance equal rights and reduce discriminatory treatment. Their passage likewise resulted from major political struggles (Landsberg, 2015).
Conclusions
This bill was not just about civil rights; it also changed American politics. Political participation increased as barriers to voting were challenged and later addressed through additional legislation. The main objective of the Civil Rights Act was to provide equal legal protections and reduce discrimination. The act was not easily passed but resulted from one of the most complex political battles in American history. The broader initiative to end racial discrimination had developed over generations after the Civil War. President Kennedy proposed major civil rights legislation, while Martin Luther King Jr. and many other activists mobilized public support for change. Kennedy sent messages to congressional leaders arguing that American practices should reflect constitutional principles of equality. Those who supported the bill said that such legislation should have passed many years earlier and described it as long overdue. The bill’s passage changed history because civil rights supporters successfully overcame a major Senate filibuster. The bill included provisions prohibiting segregation in certain public places and employment discrimination on specified grounds. Its passage exemplifies how peaceful protests and demonstrations can help bring about political change. The United States took an important step toward ending legal racism that had made the lives of many people difficult. The bill was a step toward the future and away from a dark past in which many wrongs had been done to Black people. The legislation also demonstrates the importance of sustained political effort. Affirmative-action policies later focused on employment and education so that people who had historically been denied opportunities could gain greater access to society’s institutions. The Civil Rights Act helped give America a stronger legal framework for freedom and equality.
References
Epstein, R. A. (2014). Public Accommodations under Civil Rights Act of 1964: Why Freedom of Association Counts as a Human Right. Stan. L. Rev., 66, 1241.
Andrews, K. T., & Gaby, S. (2015, June). Local protest and federal policy: The impact of the Civil Rights Movement on the 1964 Civil Rights Act. In Sociological Forum (Vol. 30, No. S1, pp. 509-527).
Guy, M. E., & Fenley, V. M. (2014). Inch by inch: Gender equity since the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 34(1), 40-58.
Wiececk, W. M., & Hamilton, J. L. (2014). Beyond the Civil Rights Act of 1964: Confronting structural racism in the workplace. Louisiana Law Review, 74(4), 5.
Landsberg, B. K. (2015). Public Accommodations and the Civil Rights Act of 1964: A Surprising Success. Hamline J. Pub. L. & Pol’y, 36, 1.
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