Celebrating the 60
th
Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Civil Rights
Department of the Interior
Today is the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This law was a hard-fought
victory for civil rights activists and leaders. It came after years of advocacy, protest,
lawsuits, and civil disobedience, marked by the blood, sweat, and tears of those who
came before. In the years leading up to the passage of the Civil Rights Act, the U.S.
saw many hard-fought battles for civil rights, including the landmark 1954 Brown v.
Board of Education Supreme Court case, which found race segregation in schools
unconstitutional; and countless brave non-violent protests and actions – that were often
met with violence – led by those such as Rosa Parks to Ruby Bridges to Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr.
So many people put their words and beliefs to action and created the outcry that
motivated President Kennedy to create the President’s Committee on Equal
Employment Opportunity in 1961 and to introduce the Civil Rights Act of 1963, which
stalled in Congress. After a lengthy and contentious debate, Congress passed the Civil
Rights Act of 1964, which was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on
race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It is what created the U.S. Equal
Employment Opportunity (EEO) Commission, a bipartisan commission which oversees
the EEO complaint process, through with all federal employees may seek redress for
employment discrimination. It also sets forth the legal framework and authority for our
office, the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Civil Rights, by which we operate and carry
out our EEO functions on behalf of the Secretary.
This law has seen hundreds of amendments, hours of Congressional debate, scores of
case-setting analysis and decisions, and opened the door for laws like the Americans
with Disabilities Act and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.
On this incredible and momentous day, I take note of the sacrifice and vision of those
who went before us. We thank them for their leadership. We remember them and
commit to a workplace here at the Department of the Interior where each employee can
succeed at work, without discrimination based on their identity. Thank you for who you
are and what you bring to the workplace – Happy 60th anniversary to the Civil Rights
Act of 1964!
