Civil Rights Act – 1964

Question 1

What was it?

Answer 1

A landmark law passed by the US Congress and signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
• It made racial segregation illegal in public places such as schools, workplaces, and restaurants.
• It also banned discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

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Question 2

What did it do?

Answer 2

• It ended Jim Crow laws that allowed segregation in the South.
• Gave the federal government power to enforce desegregation and prosecute discrimination cases.
• Created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to fight workplace discrimination.

Question 3

Why is it important?

Answer 3

It was the most significant civil rights law of the 20th century.
✅ Helped dismantle legal segregation across the US.
✅ Gave civil rights activists a powerful legal tool.
✅ Paved the way for later laws, like the Voting Rights Act (1965).