Civil Rights Act of 1968 Law and Legal Definition
The Civil Rights Act of 1968 is a federal law that prohibited discrimination concerning the sale, rental, and financing of housing. It is also known as the Fair Housing Act.
The Act was passed as an effort to impose a comprehensive solution to the problem of unlawful discrimination in housing based on race, color, sex, national origin, or religion. The Act enables persons in the protected classes to rent or own residential property in areas that were previously segregated. The enforcement of the act is entrusted with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).