Civil Rights Act of 1964

Abstract

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 (the "Act") is a landmark United States federal law that established several new categories of legal protections for individual civil rights (Pub. L. No 88-352). The Act confirms that it is illegal under the US Constitution for private individuals, businesses, and government agencies to discriminate against people on the basis of their race, skin color, religion, sex, or national origin.The Act requires fair and equitable treatment in employment, voting, and the distribution of government benefits. Additionally, the Act mandates that all people on the US land have equal access to public facilities and places of public accommodation, including hospitals, clinics, schools, and courthouses, among others. Since 1964, this pivotal Act has served as the legal basis for several other equal opportunity and employment discrimination laws (Sandoval-Strausz 2005). Lawmakers have used the Act's provisions to create protections for the equitable provision of healthcare services as well as protections for workers with disabilities.