Remember that in 1963, 100 years of the Emancipation Proclamation were celebrated by African Americans and Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech.
John F. Kennedy, sadly, was assassinated while he was in the process of passing a Civil Rights Act.
After his assassination, his vice president, Lyndon B. Johnson, wanted to continue the legacy of JFK. Using his connections as a native from Texas, he gathered support from southern white congress members and JFK's brother, Robert Kennedy, from the Justice Department.
Thus, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed in order to honor JFK's legacy. His death is what made this legislation keep on going, and today, it is one the greatest pieces of legislation written in the history of the United States.