The Civil Rights Act 1964

1
The Civil Rights Act 1964

• It seemed that the publicity and pressure of
• Sit ins
• Freedom Rides
• Birmingham March
• had brought success.

2
The Civil Rights Act 1964
On June 11th 1961 President Kennedy announces
that a new Civil Rights Bill should be passed.
I am, therefore, asking the congress to enact
legislation giving all Americans the right to be
served in facilities which are open to the public
3
The Civil Rights Act 1964
However the Civil Rights Bill progress was
blocked and MLK worried that it might never pass
if states like Alabama voted against it.
4
The Civil Rights Act 1964
To put more pressure on the Government MLK
organised a March on Washington on the 28th
August 1963.
More than 250,000 people attended and they met at
the Lincoln Memorial. President Lincoln had
freed the slaves.
5
The Civil Rights Act 1964
Although some people wanted to use the march to
criticise the government, MLK realised that this
could lose vital support. He was important in
ensuring that the march remained peaceful.
6
The Civil Rights Act 1964
At the Lincoln Memorial MLK made his famous I
have a dream speech. It was aired by 4 tv
channels live.
I have a dream that my four little children will
one day live in a nation where they will not be
judged by the colour of their skin but by the
content of their character.
7
The Civil Rights Act 1964
What happened after the March on Washington?

• 16th Street Church Bombing
• 15 sticks of dynamite were thrown into a church
  basement.
• 250 people were in the church.The building was
  completely destroyed.
• 4 young Black girls who were in the basement were
  killed.
• 20 people were injured.

8
(No Transcript)
9
The Civil Rights Act 1964
The church was bombed by Robert Chambliss.
He was a member of the KKK.
He was seen in the crowd as the church burned.
Although many people named Chambliss as the
killer he was not arrested till 1977.
10
The Civil Rights Act 1964
Although the March on Washington had brought
publicity, in November 1963 disaster struck for
the civil rights movement.
President Kennedy was assassinated.
Kennedy had supported the civil rights movement.
It now looked like the new Civil Rights Bill
would not be passed!!
11
The Civil Rights Act 1964
However the new President, Lyndon Johnson made
sure the Act became law.
12
The Civil Rights Act 1964

• Discrimination due to race was banned in all
  public places in the US. ( Unless they served
  less than 5 people.)
• Equal opportunities in the work place. It was
  against the law to discriminate when employing
  people.
• The justice department could take to court any
  state government that discriminated against Black
  people.

13
The Civil Rights Act 1964
It did not end fear and discrimination. The KKK
still uses terror and the police dont stop them.
Not everyone was happy!
It does nothing to help discrimination in housing!
It does not help Black people to get the vote.