June 19, 1964: The Senate Passes Civil Rights Act
On this day in 1964, the Senate passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The act was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on July 2. The landmark act barred discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin in public facilities — such as restaurants, theaters, or hotels. Discrimination in hiring practices was also outlawed.
The Civil Rights Act paved the way for future anti-discrimination legislation, including the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
To learn more about milestones in the Civil Rights Movement, visit Eyes on the Prize online.
Photo: President Lyndon Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law. Martin Luther King, Jr. is among those looking on. (National Archives and Records Administration)
