The Civil Rights Act of 1964

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Today, July 2, we celebrate the 56th anniversary of the signing into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This landmark legislation was the result of a steadfast campaign by NAACP lobbyist Clarence Mitchell in pursuit of racial justice through the legislative process and was originally proposed by President John F. Kennedy. It prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in the workplace, public facilities, public education, and public accommodations. However, before its becoming law, the bill faced an uphill battle and launched what is widely regarded as the longest continuous debate in Senate history. The filibuster, which lasted for 60 days, including seven Saturdays, ended on June 10 when the Senate voted 71 to 29 to end the debate. Nine days later, the Senate passed the most comprehensive civil rights legislation in United States history. Less than one month later, President Lyndon B. Johnson, joined by Martin Luther King, Jr., signed the legislation into law on July 2 in a nationally televised broadcast.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964, which amended the Civil Rights Act of 1957 and the Civil Rights Act of 1960, called for, among other things, the desegregation of public facilities and public education, and prohibited discrimination in federally assisted programs. The Act also guaranteed equal employment opportunities for all persons, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the agency tasked with the prevention of unlawful employment practices, was also a product of this legislation.

Clarence Mitchell and Roy Wilkins of the NAACP

The Civil Rights Act would not exist today if it weren't for the supporters and lobbyists whose steadfast efforts were so instrumental in the passage of this groundbreaking legislation. Two individuals deserve recognition for their exceptional legislative efforts. Clarence Mitchell and Roy Wilkins, whose actions in the NAACP brought about the legislation's successful enactment, are remembered in the Library of Congress exhibit created for the 50th anniversary of its passage. Wilkins, the longest-serving NAACP leader, called the Act a “Magna Carta for the race, a splendid monument for the cause of human rights,” and Mitchell, nicknamed the "101st U.S. Senator,” described it as “a real showdown on civil rights.” Both men are profiled at the links below.

Another prominent NAACP member and leading civil rights figure, Medgar Evers, was killed at age 38 in 1963 and, therefore, did not live to see the passage of the Civil Rights Act that Mitchell and Wilkins worked so tirelessly to make a reality. Evers would be celebrating his 95th birthday today, July 2. His widow, Myrlie Evers, spoke with NPR on Wednesday about the legacy of her husband whose home state of Mississippi just voted to remove the Confederate insignia from its state flag.

Voices of the Era

In tribute to those who lived through the Civil Rights era, we’ve complied a list of resources that feature their voices and personal stories. At the links below, explore photographs and oral histories that document the experiences of people whose lives were impacted by the landmark legislation that was signed into law 56 years ago today.

We Applaud All Who Press For Justice

The promise of the legal system is stamped above the entryway of the U.S. Supreme Court: “Equal Justice Under Law.” Today, our law librarians applaud all who press to make that a reality and who seek to make the story told in the volumes on the Law Library’s shelves bend toward justice, just as Clarence Mitchell and Roy Wilkins did. We echo our colleagues at University of Houston Libraries and affirm our commitment to equity, inclusion, diversity, and anti-racist practices and our pledge to use our skills and resources to advance the sharing and production of knowledge for racial justice.