Implementing Civil Rights and the Great Society

1
Implementing Civil Rights and the Great Society

• 1970s to Present

2
1950s-1960s

• Court Decisions, Legislation, and Administrative
  structures to implement Civil Rights examples
• School integration
• Integration of Public Accommodations
• Voting Rights Act
• Affirmative Action and Labor Policy

3
Examples of Federal Implementation

• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC),
  created in 1965
• Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs,
  Labor Department (OFCCP), created in 1965
• Civil Rights Division (Justice Department),
  founded in 1957.

4
EEOC

• Responds to complaints of discrimination by
  individuals
• Can sue violators on behalf of the federal
  government
• Offices around the country

5
OFCCP

• Conducts reviews of hiring and promotion
  practices of employers with federal contracts
• The question does the workforce look like the
  labor pool?
• Can call for changes in labor practices by
  threatening to deny federal contracts
• Offices around the country

6
Civil Rights Division, DOJ

• Enforces all federal anti discrimination
  litigation
• Located in Washington, DC

7
Results?

• Womens earnings on average .59 to .75 of
  male wage
• By late 1990s 40 of African-Americans in
  middle class. 60 of whites
• Continuing residential segregation by race
• Of WI pop (5 m) 220,000 African Americans in
  Milwaukee are about 4 of state pop but 35-40 of
  city

8
Results.Political System

• Black elected officials (BEO) fewer than 1500
  nationally in 1970 now over 9000
• Around 40 members of Congress 49 big city mayors
• 57.1 of Black big city mayors elected in cities
  without a Black majority population
• Blacks are 4.7 of voting age population in WI.
  The 33 BEO are .2 of total in state.

9
ResultsPolitical System, Wisconsin Legislature
10
Results.Political System, Women

• National Positions
• Currently about 15 of U.S. House and Senate are
  women 2 since 1789
• 32 women in cabinet posts ever (Frances Perkins,
  and Oveta Culp Hobby were only 2 before 1975)
• State government
• Women hold 25 of statewide elective executive
  offices
• 28 women have ever held the position of state
  governor.
• Women held 23 of state legislators nationwide -
  2005 as compared to 4.5 in 1971

11
New Issues in Implementation

• Glass Ceiling
• Affirmative Action
• Sexual Harassment
• Reverse Discrimination
• The Double Day
• Mommy Track