1964 Lyndon B. Johnson - Civil Rights Act.

On July 2nd 1964, Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act. This landmark civil rights legislation outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. It ended unequal application of voter registration requirements and racial segregation in schools, work places and public accommodations. Civil rights were hard fought to the bitter end, from boycotts, sit-ins, and marches to back room deals and speeches there were many actors in the battle to gain civil rights. There were also many opponents. In a final show-down, Senator Richard Russel led a senate filibuster to block the passage of civil rights. Shown here, Lyndon Johnson is confronting Russell. LBJ fought hard and won. As Richard Russell, the South’s leader in the Senate during the 1960s, put it to a friend a few days after Kennedy’s assassination: “You know, we could have beaten John Kennedy on civil rights, but not Lyndon Johnson.” Civil Rights had passed but at a great political cost. After the signing, Johnson was found depressed. When asked, he replied "I think we've just delivered the South to the Republican Party for the rest of my life, and yours."

 Here are the words that Lyndon Johnson shared with congress in his 1964 annual address:

 "Let me make one principle of this administration abundantly clear: All of these increased opportunities--in employment, in education, in housing, and in every field-must be open to Americans of every color. As far as the writ of Federal law will run, we must abolish not some, but all racial discrimination. For this is not merely an economic issue, or a social, political, or international issue. It is a moral issue, and it must be met by the passage this session of the bill now pending in the House.

 All members of the public should have equal access to facilities open to the public. All members of the public should be equally eligible for Federal benefits that are financed by the public. All members of the public should have an equal chance to vote for public officials and to send their children to good public schools and to contribute their talents to the public good.

 Today, Americans of all races stand side by side in Berlin and in Viet Nam. They died side by side in Korea. Surely they can work and eat and travel side by side in their own country."

Just prior to his assassination, John F. Kennedy cried out for Civil Rights. "who among us would be content to have the color of his skin changed and stand in his place?"

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=26787
http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2004/summer/civil-rights-act-2.html
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/04/what-the-hells-the-presidency-for/358630/
http://mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu/kingweb/images/660920_000_300px.gif
http://www.fasttrackteaching.com/burns/Unit_13_Civil_Rights/Rosa_Parks_on_bus_1956_dbNYWTSloc_sa.gif
http://abcnews.go.com/US/things-make-dream-famous-speeches-history/story?id=20068795
https://www.awesomestories.com/.../JFK-June-11-1963...