President Obama and Congressional Black Caucus Comment on the 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Statement from President Barack Obama on the 50^th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

In 1964, President Johnson put pen to paper and signed the Civil Rights Act into law.  Fifty years later, few pieces of legislation have defined our national identity as distinctly, or as powerfully.  By outlawing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, the Civil Rights Act effectively ended segregation in schools, workplaces, and public facilities.  It opened the door for the Voting Rights Act, and the Fair Housing Act.  And it transformed the concepts of justice, equality, and democracy for generations to come.

The Civil Rights Act brought us closer to making real the declaration at the heart of our founding – that we are all created equal.  But that journey continues.  A half a century later, we’re still working to tear down barriers and put opportunity within reach for every American, no matter who they are, what they look like, or where they come from.  So as we celebrate this anniversary and the undeniable progress we’ve made over the past 50 years, we also remember those who have fought tirelessly to perfect our union, and recommit ourselves to making America more just, more equal and more free.

Statement from Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Marcia L. Fudge on the 50^th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act which was signed on July 2, 1964:

“The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was one of the most significant pieces of legislation in our history, laying the foundation to end legal discrimination in America. While the Constitution established that all men were created equal, the Civil Rights Act codified that all men and women should receive equal treatment under the law.

“During the Civil Rights Movement, Americans of all races and ages committed their time and their lives to ensuring that the promise of America would be available to every citizen, rather than to a select few. This law ensured that generations of Americans, previously marginalized and oppressed, would be fully acknowledged as citizens of this great nation.

“However, while we reflect on the Civil Rights Act today, we must also remember that equal treatment under the law and equal opportunity is still denied to many Americans. Increasing segregation in public education, growing income inequality, and disparities within our criminal justice system persist in our society, disproportionality affecting individuals and communities of color.  And while the Civil Rights Act paved the way for passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, those protections have been severely compromised.

“While our union is far from perfect, we must not allow the progress made over the past 50 years to be eroded. As Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate united to do what was best for our nation in 1964, we must do so once again. Congress must pass the Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2014 and fulfill the promise of a truly fair and equal society that all who worked to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 hoped it would one day help us achieve.”