Civil Rights Legislation
Key Civil Rights Acts & Amendments to the US Constitution
13th Amendment - 1865
Abolished slavery but did not give blacks equality. Full text of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
Civil Rights Act - 1866
"All persons shall have the same rights...to make and enforce contracts, to sue, be parties, give evidence, and to the full and equal benefit of all laws..." Full text of the Civil Rights Act of 1866
14th Amendment - 1868
"All persons born or naturalized in the US...are citizens...nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person...the equal protection of the laws." Full text of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
Plessy v. Ferguson - 1896Plessy v. Ferguson, 163 U.S. 537 (1896), is a landmark US Supreme Court Decision that upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation in public accommodation under the doctrine of “separate but equal.” The decision was handed down by a vote 7 to 1. The majority opinion was written by Justice Henry Billings Brown. The dissent was written by Justice John Marshall Harlan. Justice David Josiah Brewer abstained. The decision remained on the books until it was repudiated in the Supreme Court Decision of Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka Kansas in 1954.
19th Amendment - 1920
"The rights of citizens...to vote shall not be denied or abridged...on account of sex." Full text of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka Kansas -1954
A landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court which overturned earlier rulings going back to Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896. It declared that state laws that established separate public schools for black and white students denied black children equal educational opportunities. Landmark Supreme Court Decision
Civil Rightgs Act of 1957
Prohibits sex-based pay differentials on jobs. Full text of the Civil Rights Act of 1957
Civil Rights Act of 1960
Full text of the Civil Rights Act of 1960
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on race, sex, national origin, or religion. Title VI prohibits public access discrimination, leading to desegregation. Full text of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
History of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Executive Order 11246 of 1965
Affirmative action requirements of government contractors and subcontractors. Full text of Executive Order 11246
Voting Rights Act of 1965 Full text of the Voting Rights Act of 1965Federal Voting Rights Laws
1967 ADEAProhibits age discrimination for 40-65 year olds-- amended in 1986 to remove the 65 year old age cap. Text of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967
Fair Housing Act of 1968
Requires accessibility for disabled in buildings and facilities financed with federal funds. Fair Housing ActHistory of the Fair Housing Act of 1968
504 of the Rehab Act of 1973
Bars federal contractors or subcontractors from employment discrimination on the basis of disability. Full text of Section 504 of the Rehab Act of 1973
Fair Housing Amendment of 1988
Disabled access required for multi-family housing intended for first occupancy after March 13, 1991. Full text of Fair Housing Amendments of 1988
Americans Disabilities Act
Title I prohibits disability discrimination by employers. Titles II and III require disability access in all places of public accommodation and business for first occupancy after January 26, 1993 Full Text of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
Civil Rights Act of 1991
Adds to Title VII protections, including right to jury trial. Full text of the Civil Rights Act of 1991 Civil Rights Act of 2004 Full text of the Civil Rights Act of 2004
Abolished slavery but did not give blacks equality. Full text of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
Civil Rights Act - 1866
"All persons shall have the same rights...to make and enforce contracts, to sue, be parties, give evidence, and to the full and equal benefit of all laws..." Full text of the Civil Rights Act of 1866
14th Amendment - 1868
"All persons born or naturalized in the US...are citizens...nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person...the equal protection of the laws." Full text of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
Plessy v. Ferguson - 1896Plessy v. Ferguson, 163 U.S. 537 (1896), is a landmark US Supreme Court Decision that upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation in public accommodation under the doctrine of “separate but equal.” The decision was handed down by a vote 7 to 1. The majority opinion was written by Justice Henry Billings Brown. The dissent was written by Justice John Marshall Harlan. Justice David Josiah Brewer abstained. The decision remained on the books until it was repudiated in the Supreme Court Decision of Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka Kansas in 1954.
19th Amendment - 1920
"The rights of citizens...to vote shall not be denied or abridged...on account of sex." Full text of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka Kansas -1954
A landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court which overturned earlier rulings going back to Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896. It declared that state laws that established separate public schools for black and white students denied black children equal educational opportunities. Landmark Supreme Court Decision
Civil Rightgs Act of 1957
Prohibits sex-based pay differentials on jobs. Full text of the Civil Rights Act of 1957
Civil Rights Act of 1960
Full text of the Civil Rights Act of 1960
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on race, sex, national origin, or religion. Title VI prohibits public access discrimination, leading to desegregation. Full text of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
History of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Executive Order 11246 of 1965
Affirmative action requirements of government contractors and subcontractors. Full text of Executive Order 11246
Voting Rights Act of 1965 Full text of the Voting Rights Act of 1965Federal Voting Rights Laws
1967 ADEAProhibits age discrimination for 40-65 year olds-- amended in 1986 to remove the 65 year old age cap. Text of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967
Fair Housing Act of 1968
Requires accessibility for disabled in buildings and facilities financed with federal funds. Fair Housing ActHistory of the Fair Housing Act of 1968
504 of the Rehab Act of 1973
Bars federal contractors or subcontractors from employment discrimination on the basis of disability. Full text of Section 504 of the Rehab Act of 1973
Fair Housing Amendment of 1988
Disabled access required for multi-family housing intended for first occupancy after March 13, 1991. Full text of Fair Housing Amendments of 1988
Americans Disabilities Act
Title I prohibits disability discrimination by employers. Titles II and III require disability access in all places of public accommodation and business for first occupancy after January 26, 1993 Full Text of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
Civil Rights Act of 1991
Adds to Title VII protections, including right to jury trial. Full text of the Civil Rights Act of 1991 Civil Rights Act of 2004 Full text of the Civil Rights Act of 2004