It's been 60 years since the 1964 Civil Rights Act was signed into law.
Across the country, civil rights groups, scholars and others have commemorated the landmark law with panels, comprehensive reports and rallies. Many have cited its impact and other federal laws that came in its wake, including one protecting the right to vote for all citizens and another banning discrimination in housing.
“It propelled a movement that was able to make major civil rights gains,’’ said Melanie Campbell, president of the nonpartisan National Coalition on Black Civic Participation.
The law outlawed segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, or national origin.
Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League, called the law “transformative.”
“It has not just only changed the arc for Black people. It has changed the arc for women and for other people of color in a profound way,’’ he said.