Today In History: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 Signed Into Law

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

In the 1960s, Americans who knew only the potential of "equal protection of the laws" expected the president, the Congress, and the courts to fulfill the promise of the 14th Amendment. In response, all three branches of the federal government--as well as the public at large--debated a fundamental constitutional question: Does the Constitution's prohibition of denying equal protection always ban the use of racial, ethnic, or gender criteria in an attempt to bring social justice and social benefits?

In 1964 Congress passed Public Law 82-352 (78 Stat. 241). The provisions of this civil rights act forbade discrimination on the basis of sex as well as race in hiring, promoting, and firing. The word "sex" was added at the last moment. According to the West Encyclopedia of American Law, Representative Howard W. Smith (D-VA) added the word. His critics argued that Smith, a conservative Southern opponent of federal civil rights, did so to kill the entire bill. Smith, however, argued that he had amended the bill in keeping with his support of Alice Paul and the National Women's Party with whom he had been working. Martha W. Griffiths (D-MI) led the effort to keep the word "sex" in the bill. In the final legislation, Section 703 (a) made it unlawful for an employer to "fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise to discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions or privileges or employment, because of such individual's race, color, religion, sex, or national origin." The final bill also allowed sex to be a consideration when sex is a bona fide occupational qualification for the job. Title VII of the act created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to implement the law.

More here:
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/civil-rights-...

thank you for the history moment	maddezmom	Jul-02-09 01:40 PM	#1
It's a reminder of liberalism's great triumphs	Zomby Woof	Jul-02-09 01:46 PM	#2
agree	maddezmom	Jul-02-09 02:02 PM	#3
K & R	backtoblue	Jul-02-09 02:07 PM	#4
I wish for much more heinus laws to prevail at present.....	jus_the_facts	Jul-02-09 04:04 PM	#5
You reminded me of this:	redqueen	Jul-02-09 04:12 PM	#6
Thanks redqueen	Zomby Woof	Jul-02-09 05:53 PM	#7
My pleasure of course.	redqueen	Jul-02-09 06:18 PM	#8