Civil Rights Act of 1964

Charles B. Vergon

The 1964 Civil Rights Act, passed on July 2, 1964, represents the most comprehensive federal legislation protecting the rights of individuals from discrimination since the post–Civil War period. This entry reviews the purpose and scope of the Act; the historical backdrop leading to its enactment; and the special significance of Title VI in promoting school reform, particularly as it relates to educational equity in elementary and secondary schools. Title VI and the 1964 Civil Rights Act in its entirety can best be understood in historical context. It represents one in a long series of federal actions, some judicial and others legislative in origin, intended to secure the civil rights of African Americans. These measures flow in part from the Supreme Court's 1857 decision in Dred Scott v. Sanford , in which the Court found Blacks to be without constitutional protections, as they had not been considered citizens at the time ...

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