What is the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark piece of civil rights legislation. This law was the most comprehensive civil rights law ever enacted by Congress. The most important civil right the Act granted was the right to not be discriminated against due to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It prohibited discrimination in a wide range of areas, including public accommodations, employment, voting, and education. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 also provided for federal enforcement actions against individuals or companies who violated the law. This law was specifically designed to eliminate the practice of segregation which had been in place in the United States since the Reconstruction era following the Civil War. The act also created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to ensure that employers complied with the law. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 has had lasting effects on civil rights in the United States. It established the principle that discrimination, on the basis of race, religion, and other protected factors, is unconstitutional. It changed the face of education and employment in the United States by banning discriminatory practices. It also formed the foundation of civil rights legislation passed in the decades since. In Virginia, the Act has been used to combat segregation and other forms of discrimination, and to establish equal rights for all citizens.

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