On July 2, 1964, the historic Civil Rights Act was signed into law, which banned discrimination based on color, race, national origin, religion or sex. In honor of its 60th Anniversary, we take a moment to revisit its history and impact.
About the Civil Rights Act
The act was introduced by President John F. Kennedy before his assassination, and was subsequently supported by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Opponents of the bill filibustered for 60 days to block its passage, until supporters finally gathered the 2/3 majority needed to break the filibuster, a historic first in Senate history for civil rights legislation. In 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that the Civil Rights Act also banned workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
Dive Into American History
Our libraries have an abundance of all-ages historical resources in print and online that can help you learn more about the Civil Rights Act and American history.
World Book Online is an engaging, interactive, gamified and trustworthy online learning experience for grades pre-K through high school. It features a suite of online research tools that include encyclopedia articles, primary source collections, educator tools, student activities, educational games, pictures, audio, maps and video, complemented by children’s eBooks, current periodicals and related Web sites.
History Reference Source is perfect for school reports and research papers. There are different portals for different age ranges and even includes Spanish resources for elementary school users.
You can also explore the Library of Congress’s online version of their 2014 exhibit, The Civil Rights Act of 1964: A Long Struggle for Freedom, opens a new window, an extensive, multimedia-rich exploration of the significance of this legislation.
Civil Rights in America
Interested in learning more about civil rights in the United States? Here are a few resources you can find at your local library.
Use Your Voice
Itching to make a difference? Learn more about activism and current questions around civil rights with these books.
Civil Rights for Children
These children's books are a great starting point for conversations with young people in your life about civil rights.
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