|
|
The 1964 Civil rights act was a product of the Federal Governments attempt to stop racial discrimination in America. The use of tax payer’s money for programs that supported racial discrimination had to be put to an end. President John F. Kennedy called it a “simple justice”. Organizations that received federal funding were no longer able to discriminate based on someone’s race. This prohibited both intentional discrimination and seemingly neutral programs and policies would be under regulation. Recipients of federal funding must provide adequate language assistance and also any assistance in accessing government services.
But what exactly are the events that led to this breakthrough act?
-We will start this brief timeline in ten years earlier with Brown vs. the board of Education: The year is 1954 and a young girl, Linda Brown, is denied admission to a local elementary school purely because of the color of her skin, her case eventually makes its way to the Supreme Court where it is determined that the idea of "separate but equal" was unconstitutional and anything but equal, the Courts ruling paved the way for the beginning of desegregation of the schools is the south.
But what exactly are the events that led to this breakthrough act?
-We will start this brief timeline in ten years earlier with Brown vs. the board of Education: The year is 1954 and a young girl, Linda Brown, is denied admission to a local elementary school purely because of the color of her skin, her case eventually makes its way to the Supreme Court where it is determined that the idea of "separate but equal" was unconstitutional and anything but equal, the Courts ruling paved the way for the beginning of desegregation of the schools is the south.
-The next entry in our timeline of events is December 1, 1955 just one year after the Brown verdict Miss Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat at the front of the Bus, and while Ms. Parks was not the first to do this the NAACP uses her as the catalyst for a boycott of the bus system lasting over a year until the bus system desegregated. Martin Luther King jr. is at the front of the boycott.
-Fast forward two years to Martin Luther King's appointment as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. This group would be vital in organizing the civil rights movement. King makes it clear they must not sink to the level of those that would see them as second class citizens.
-Also in 1957 nine black children in Little Rock, Ark., know known as the "Little Rock Nine", are barred from entering in to school by order of the Governor. President Eisenhower sends troops to assist
-Also in 1957 nine black children in Little Rock, Ark., know known as the "Little Rock Nine", are barred from entering in to school by order of the Governor. President Eisenhower sends troops to assist
-For this next entry we will skip forward to 1962 where riots ensue after James Meredith becomes the first black student at the University of Mississippi- President Kennedy sends troops to quell the riots
-In April of1963 Martin Luther King writes his "Letter from Birmingham Jail" after being arrested during a protest.
-In August of that same year the seminal "I have a dream" speech was given at the Lincoln memorial after 200,00 people joined the March on Washington
- And our Final stop on this journey: In 1964 President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act, a piece of legislation made up of 11 items or "Titles", that outlaw any form of discrimination on the bases of race, religion, national origin, or color. It also gave the federal government the ability to enforce desegregation.
One of the 11 parts of this legislation was Title VI which prohibits any agency receiving federal funds from discriminating against anyone on the basis of those things listed above. We will go into more detail on this on the following page: Title VI Purpose
-In April of1963 Martin Luther King writes his "Letter from Birmingham Jail" after being arrested during a protest.
-In August of that same year the seminal "I have a dream" speech was given at the Lincoln memorial after 200,00 people joined the March on Washington
- And our Final stop on this journey: In 1964 President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act, a piece of legislation made up of 11 items or "Titles", that outlaw any form of discrimination on the bases of race, religion, national origin, or color. It also gave the federal government the ability to enforce desegregation.
One of the 11 parts of this legislation was Title VI which prohibits any agency receiving federal funds from discriminating against anyone on the basis of those things listed above. We will go into more detail on this on the following page: Title VI Purpose