Civil Rights Acts (1964 and 1968) Voting Rights Act (1965)
Negatives
State and local enforcement of the act was weak in the south Led to race riots (LA, Detroit, Watts)
Features of the 1964 CRA
Banned segregation in hotels, motels and restaurants Encouraged desegregation of public schools Illegal to give government money to segregated organisations All government agencies were desegregated
problem that prompted the VRA 1965
Blacks continued to be disqualified from voting, due to property laws and biased literacy tests 'Bloody Sunday' march in Selma - only 389/15,000 blacks registered to vote - Marchers were beaten/whipped, tear gas was used
Positives
Accelerated the process of allowing all Americans to vote Ended literacy tests Decreased discrimination and disenfranchisement Number of black representatives increased
Who implemented the act
President Johnson
Who passed the 1964 CRA?
President Johnson
Features of CRA 1968
No longer refuse to sell/rent a house to someone based on their race/colour No longer advertise the sale/rental of a property by referring to race/colour Neither threaten nor intimidate someone living in a rented/bought house
Negatives of the CRA
DID NOT GIVE BLACKS THE RIGHT TO VOTE (still reliant on whites to make changes to the law) Private clubs could remain white only Many in congress only voted out of sympathy for the 'Kennedy Bill' following his assassination Johnson had to cajole many Republicans to vote for the act
What did the CRA 1968 do?
End discrimination surrounding property sale and rental
