What You Didn't Know About the Civil Rights Act of 1964

What is the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a piece of legislation that was passed by Congress that overturned the preexisting legal statues pertaining to equality with regard to the treatment of minorities. Prior to the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the actions and undertakings of minorities were regulated by the Jim Crow Laws set forth in 1876 subsequent to the end of the Civil War.

The Jim Crow Laws stated that minorities were to be regarded as ‘Separate but Equal’ . This meant that they would be afforded all of the rights of white citizens, but were to exist separately from the general Caucasian population. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 abolished segregation, as well as prejudice with regard to employment opportunities and memberships.

Who Created the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

The ownership if the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is shared by a majority of key figures who served at the time of its passing. The following individuals have been credited with the passing of the Civil Rights Act:

John F. Kennedy: The President at the time of the introduction and subsequent passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Kennedy urged Congress to pass this legislation as a result of his personal belief of the morality and ethics latent within the terms of the Act.

Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Reverend and ad-hoc leader of the Civil Rights Movement during the time of the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Dr. King incited a substantial amount of support from his fellow citizens with regard to the granting of minorities expressly equal rights as their Caucasian counterparts.

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