Civil rights laws, 1964-1965
The Civil Rights Act had come into force in 1957. It tried to make it easier for black people to vote, but local authorities had no means of enforcing its recommendations. This began to change in 1964 - 1965.
The presidents
President John F Kennedy had been slow to commit to improvements in civil rights, but this changed after the Birmingham protests. He used the power of the federal governmentThe central government in the USA, including the president, Congress and the Supreme Court. to:
- take legal action to help black voters in states that tried to stop their registration
- appoint more black people to jobs in the government
- push for a new Civil Rights Act to improve on the 1957 act
However, Kennedy never saw his planned civil rights billA proposed new law. When a bill is approved by Congress and the president, it becomes an act and is now the law. become law, because he was assassinated on 22 November 1963 during a visit to Texas. Nevertheless, his plans remained possible because his successor, Lyndon B Johnson, promised to continue his work.
The 1964 Civil Rights Act
President Johnson was committed to a strong Civil Rights Act that would bring about significant improvements. He used his skill as a politician to fight off attempts to weaken the new law or to delay it. When it passed, the law dealt with segregationLaws separating black and white people in public places in society., schools and jobs.
| Issue | Stipulation |
| Segregation | Banned in places used by the general public, such as hotels and restaurants |
| Schools | Had to be desegregated |
| Jobs | Discrimination based on race was illegal |
| Issue | Segregation |
|---|---|
| Stipulation | Banned in places used by the general public, such as hotels and restaurants |
| Issue | Schools |
|---|---|
| Stipulation | Had to be desegregated |
| Issue | Jobs |
|---|---|
| Stipulation | Discrimination based on race was illegal |
To make sure that these changes happened, the Civil Rights Act gave the federal governmentThe central government in the USA, including the president, Congress and the Supreme Court. clear powers to enforce them.
The march from Selma to Montgomery
Although there had been improvements in civil rights, it was still difficult for black people in the South to vote. In January 1965, local civil rights campaigners invited Martin Luther King Jnr.A Christian minister who believed in peaceful protest without using violence and who was a key figure in the US civil rights movement. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference SCLCSouthern Christian Leadership Conference. A civil rights organisation set up in 1957 based on Christian values that peacefully campaigned against segregation in the USA. to campaign in Selma, Alabama, a city with very few registered black voters.
In March 1965, King led a march near Selma. The march was broken up by state troops and police, and 57 people were injured. Once again, pictures of black civil rights campaigners being violently attacked by the authorities were broadcast across the USA and internationally.
Coverage of the violence by national news agencies shocked the public. President Johnson gave his support to the marchers and ordered the National Guard to protect them. The march was able to take place and Johnson committed himself to helping black people access their voting rights.
The 1965 Voting Rights Act
After the Selma march, and increased public support for more civil rights, the Voting Rights Act was passed. The new law:
- banned tests and other means used to stop black people from registering to vote
- set up federal examiners who could register voters in areas where there was an unexpectedly low level of black voter registration
- brought in a requirement for federal approval for any changes to state voting laws
This led to there being more black voters and more black elected officials. It was a significant improvement. However, despite the change in the law, black people continued to face violence, segregation and discriminationTo treat someone differently or unfairly because they belong to a particular group..