The Fair Housing Act of 1968 was a landmark piece of legislation that aimed to eliminate housing discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, and disability. Prior to the passage of this law, many people faced discrimination when trying to rent or purchase a home or apartment.
During the civil rights movement, people protested against housing discrimination in various ways, including:
Boycotts: Civil rights activists organized boycotts of businesses that engaged in discriminatory housing practices, such as real estate agencies that refused to show homes to people of color.
Demonstrations: Civil rights activists organized peaceful demonstrations and protests in front of real estate offices and government buildings to draw attention to the issue of housing discrimination.
Legal action: Civil rights organizations such as the NAACP and the ACLU filed lawsuits against landlords, real estate agents, and other parties who engaged in discriminatory housing practices.
Civil disobedience: Some activists engaged in acts of civil disobedience, such as sit-ins at segregated real estate offices, to draw attention to the issue of housing discrimination.
Education and outreach: Civil rights activists worked to educate people about their rights and the importance of fair housing, and encouraged them to report instances of discrimination.
These efforts helped to raise awareness about the issue of housing discrimination and played a key role in the passage of the Fair Housing Act of 1968, which made it illegal to discriminate in the sale, rental, or financing of housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, or disability. The law has since been amended to include additional protections and to expand its coverage to include more types of housing and more protected classes.