Civil Rights Act of 1964 Law and Legal Definition
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a federal law that prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin by federal and state governments. The Act outlawed discrimination against blacks and women, including racial segregation. The Act prohibited unequal application of voter registration requirements and racial segregation in schools, at the workplace and public accommodations.
Important provisions of the Act include:
a. guaranteeing equal voting rights;
b. prohibiting segregation or discrimination in places of public accommodation;
c. banning discrimination, including sex-based discrimination, by trade unions, schools, or employers that are involved in interstate commerce or that do business with the federal government ;
d. calling for the desegregation of public schools; and
e. assuring nondiscrimination in the distribution of funds under federally assisted programs.
