Question

Given what you know about the Civil Rights Act of 1960, answer the following questions citing specific evidence to support your response. Your responses should be at least three sentences long.

1. Under which president was the law signed? How was it similar to the Civil Rights Act of 1957?
2. What were the main provisions of the law? Explain at least four provisions.
3. Explain at least two shortcomings of the law.
4. Given what you know about the Voting Rights Act of 1960, do you think that the law was effective? Why or why not?
Remember to use correct spelling, grammar, and conventions.

Answer 1

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was the most significant civil rights legislation since the Reconstruction era.

1. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The law was similar to the Civil Rights Act of 1957 in that it aimed to protect the voting rights of African Americans.

2. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 had several key provisions, including:

• Prohibiting discrimination in public accommodations, such as hotels, restaurants, and theaters.
• Prohibiting discrimination in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
• Authorizing the Attorney General to bring lawsuits to desegregate schools and other public facilities.
• Establishing the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to investigate and enforce claims of discrimination in employment.

3. Two shortcomings of the law were:

• It did not explicitly address voting rights, despite being a major focus of the Civil Rights Movement at the time.
• It faced resistance and noncompliance from some states and businesses, which hindered its effectiveness in achieving its goals.

4. It is worth noting that there was no Voting Rights Act of 1960. However, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a significant piece of legislation that aimed to address the shortcomings of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 regarding voting rights. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was highly effective in dismantling barriers to voting that had been used to disenfranchise African Americans in the South. By eliminating discriminatory practices such as literacy tests and poll taxes, the law paved the way for greater participation by African Americans in the political process.