Civil Rights Act Of 1964 Essay

If not for the hard work put forth to pass the Civil Rights Act, our country would most likely still be in the bondage of discrimination and inequality. However, with the assistance of some great leaders, we are a free country that gives every single person the same opportunity for success. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 helped to shape the boast worthy America that we live in today. Before the Civil Rights Act was passed, life was very different for Americans. The time of Reconstruction, the period after the Civil War, was in order. Slavery was drawing to a close, but discrimination was still going full force (History.com). Unfair treatment to people of a different race, religion, or nationality was an extensive problem that was attacking the land. Although race was a very large contribution to the Civil Rights Act, equal rights, including voting, for both genders was also a major factor. Although there was discrimination

Kennedy reconciled to take action against these brutal protests. In 1963, he made the statement, “The U.S. will not be fully free until all of its citizens are free” (History.com). In the same year, Kennedy tried to send his bill, the Civil Rights Act, through congress (“Civil Rights Act of 1964”). In November of 1963, President Kennedy was assassinated. The new president to come into office, Lyndon B. Johnson, took over the bill. Johnson led the bill through an extensive battle through the House of Representatives and the Senate. The battle in the Senate consisted of a 75 day filibuster that was organized by the southerners. After the filibuster was drawn to a close, the bill was passed through the senate with a 73-27 vote. On July 2, 1964, President Johnson left his signature on the bill and it became a law. Johnson made the statement, “It is an important gain, but I think we just delivered the South to the Republican party.” This would turn out to be very true because most of the south, to this day, is still Republican