Final answer:
The Fair Housing Act of 1968 prohibits discrimination in the sale or rental of housing based on race, color, religion, or national origin. Despite its enactment, discriminatory practices continue, and further laws have been enacted to strengthen protections against discrimination in housing and employment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Fair Housing Act of 1968
The legislation that makes it illegal to discriminate in selling a house based on race, color, religion, or national origin is the Fair Housing Act of 1968, also known as part of the Civil Rights Act of 1968. This act prohibited discrimination in the sale or rental of housing, which was a significant step forward in the pursuit of civil rights and equality. Prior to its enactment, practices such as redlining and other discriminatory lending practices were common, making it difficult or more expensive for specific ethnicities to buy or rent in certain neighborhoods.
Although the Fair Housing Act was a milestone, it did not entirely eliminate discriminatory practices. Banks and other lenders sometimes continued to engage in mortgage discrimination, which could keep ethnic homebuyers out of selected neighborhoods by denying loans or making them prohibitively expensive. However, over the years, additional laws and revisions have strengthened the initial act, with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act also prohibiting discrimination in employment based on race, gender, national origin, religion, or sexual orientation.
Efforts to combat discrimination in housing and the job market continue to this day. Despite the legal protections in place, evidence suggests that discrimination persists, and achieving true equality in housing remains an ongoing challenge.