What are civil rights? According to the definition in We The People (Tenth essentials edition), it states " Civil rights: obligation imposed on government to take positive action to protect citizens from any illegal action of government agencies and other private citizens" (Ginsberg 137). It means everyone will have equal rights, no matter what race or religion of that individuals. The government will responsible for protecting citizens' rights. However, federal government has problems dealing with protecting citizens' rights.
Back in the 1800s, African American didn't get treated equally. They couldn't vote, going to the same school with the whites, or have any "equal" public services. However, the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees that everyone would have the same and equal protection of the law. At that time, racial discrimination was a huge issue. With the adoption of this amendment, the colored people and minority groups finally have the same rights like the whites. However, there was a rule called separate but equal. In other words, racial segregation still remained but "equal". Most of …show more content…
Finally, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. "The Act outlawed discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, required equal access to public places and employment, and enforced desegregation of schools and the right to vote" ("Civil Rights") The federal government finally took real action and giving real equality for African American. It took about 10 years for the federal government to adjust and enforce the Constitution. It wasn't easy for African American. From the beginning, they were at disadvantage. The whites had the higher status in society. It was understandable that's all decisions in the early cases were biased toward the whites. African American didn't give up and they fought for the rights that they should have. In the end, they have their civil
Back in the 1800s, African American didn't get treated equally. They couldn't vote, going to the same school with the whites, or have any "equal" public services. However, the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees that everyone would have the same and equal protection of the law. At that time, racial discrimination was a huge issue. With the adoption of this amendment, the colored people and minority groups finally have the same rights like the whites. However, there was a rule called separate but equal. In other words, racial segregation still remained but "equal". Most of …show more content…
Finally, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. "The Act outlawed discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, required equal access to public places and employment, and enforced desegregation of schools and the right to vote" ("Civil Rights") The federal government finally took real action and giving real equality for African American. It took about 10 years for the federal government to adjust and enforce the Constitution. It wasn't easy for African American. From the beginning, they were at disadvantage. The whites had the higher status in society. It was understandable that's all decisions in the early cases were biased toward the whites. African American didn't give up and they fought for the rights that they should have. In the end, they have their civil