Final answer:
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited racial discrimination in public places and employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, including Title VII's employment protections, while the Voting Rights Act of 1965 eliminated literacy tests for voting.
Step-by-step explanation:
The piece of legislation in question is the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This act made racial discrimination in public places illegal and included Title VII, which prohibits discrimination by employers on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. This landmark legislation played a pivotal role in ending segregation in schools and the workplace and in removing discriminatory practices such as unequal voter registration requirements. The following year, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 further protected African Americans' rights by eliminating literacy tests in voting, which were a barrier to their enfranchisement, particularly in southern states.