Civil Rights Act and the relevance it brings today
During the 1960s the fight for civil rights rose as black people were frustrated with the injustice and brutality of Jim Crow laws. [1] Blacks were segregated in public facilities such as shops, restaurants, and more. They also faced racial discrimination in employment and education. [2] Similar to today we have groups fighting against discrimination of sexual orientation and gender identity. They are referred to as the LGBT community that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. The LGBT group has been fighting for an America where people are treated respectively and fair despite their sexual orientation and gender. [3] Unfortunately they face discrimination in employment, housing, and even marriage. [4] The ideas of the 1960s still remain relevant today in the aspect that as a nation we are constantly fighting for our rights to end discrimination in our country.
After the Civil War, constitutional amendments were passed that put an end to slavery. It gave former slaves the right to be a citizen and all men of all races were allowed to vote. Majority of southern states found ways to prevent African Americans from voting such as polling taxes and requiring literacy tests. Jim Crow laws administrated segregation and permitted violence from racist groups, such as the Ku Klux Klan. [5]
It was not until 1964 when the government started to actually do something about the civil rights. The Civil Rights Act was pushed through Congress by President Johnson at the time. This act prohibited discrimination in public place and also allowed the justice department to sue states that discriminated minorities and promised equal opportunities in workplace. In the years following after, Congress widened the act and passed legislation regarding to giving equality to African Americans. [6]
The Civil Rights Act, stated that segregation in public places such as libraries, parks, theaters, and restaurants were illegal. African Americans and all other minorities would not be rejected of service because of their skin color. Under this act, it also prevented race, religion, gender, and national origin discrimination by employers and labor unions. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was devised to support resented workers by filing lawsuits on their side. The act also prevented spending any federal funds for discriminatory programs. It also entitled Office of Education, to support education desegregation, especially in the south. [7]
Later on, the Civil Rights Act grew to help disabled Americans, elderly, and women in college athletics. It also helped contribute to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, this banned literacy test, poll taxes, and other discriminatory voting methods. The Fair Housing Act of 1968 prevented discrimination in sale, rental, and financing equity. [8]
These ideas of the Civil Rights Acts are still relevant today, especially when it comes to LGBT community. As of today, same-sex marriage is only permitted in seventeen states, that is only 34%. The LGBT group still faces discrimination in employment, housing, and marriage because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. They continue to fight for their rights to have Supreme Court rule in the favor of ending federal marriage discrimination. [9] The Human Rights Campaign focuses on equality from state to state and the LGBT rights are one of their top priorities that they fight for. [10]
The LGBT community has a long way to go to establish equal rights, but they are still fighting for the same thing the Civil Rights Acts focused on, which was equality for everyone in America. The ideas of the 1960s are still relevant today, especially that as nation we are working to end discrimination in our country.
Notes:
1. “The 1960’s,” A&E Television Networks, Accessed April 9, 2014, http://www.history.com/topics/1960s, paragraph 1.
2. "US History:Society of the 1960's." US History: Society of the 1960's, Accessed April 11, 2014, http://elcoushistory.tripod.com/society1960.html, paragraph 1-4.
3. "LGBT Rights." American Civil Liberties Union, Accessed April 16, 2014, https://www.aclu.org/lgbt-rights, paragraph 2-6.
4. "States | Freedom to Marry." States | Freedom to Marry, Accessed April 15, 2014, http://www.freedomtomarry.org/states/, paragraph 1-3.
5. Ibid., paragraph 1-4.
6. Ibid., paragraph 1-3.
7. Ibid., paragraph 3-5.
8. Ibid., paragraph 5-8.
9. "Equality from State to State 2013." Human Rights Campaign, Accessed April 16, 2014http://www.hrc.org/resources/entry/equality-from-state-to-state, paragraph 3-5.
10. Ibid., paragraph 1-7.
References:
History.com Staff. “The 1960’s,” A&E Television Networks. Accessed April 9, 2014, http://www.history.com/topics/1960s.
Photograph. Google Images. Accessed April 9, 2014, http://60sracism.wikispaces.com/file/view/civil_rights_march_cut.jpg/51074375/civil_rights_march_cut.jpg.
Photograph. Google Images. Accessed April 9, 2014, http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/replicate/EXID31431/images/civil-rights-pickets.jpg.
Photograph. Google Images. Accessed April 9, 2014, http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/files/2013/08/mlk-signs.jpg.
Photograph. Google Images. Accessed April 9, 2014, http://www.stuartwilde.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Gay-Paris_2463673b.jpg.
"Equality from State to State 2013." Human Rights Campaign, Accessed April 16, 2014http://www.hrc.org/resources/entry/equality-from-state-to-state.
"LGBT Rights." American Civil Liberties Union, Accessed April 16, 2014, https://www.aclu.org/lgbt-rights.
"States | Freedom to Marry." States | Freedom to Marry, Accessed April 15, 2014, http://www.freedomtomarry.org/states/.
"US History:Society of the 1960's." US History: Society of the 1960's, Accessed April 11, 2014. http://elcoushistory.tripod.com/society1960.html.