This was as a follow-up or reaffirmation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, discussed above.
It is apparent that the Civil Rights Act of 1866 outlawed discrimination in property and housing there was lacking any provisions for the federal government to enforce it. This Act came in to put more weight on the previous Acts and ban discrimination on the sale, rental, and financing of housing pegged on race, religion, and national origin. This was further expounded upon in 1974 on gender as well as 1988 protecting the disabled under the same Act.
With the passing of these fundamental Acts and several others that augmented it, there was an upsurge in entry into politics and civil activism by African-Americans from the Southern states. Across the states and the entire USA more and more young people were inspired into taking action to push for implementation of the Acts and balance in society in accordance to the Acts that concerned human rights.
The truth about the Civil Rights Movement in the American context is that the push for civilian rights are endless, they keep coming back as the needs arise with each generation having different and dynamic needs for the passing of new Acts that enable an equality-based society. Right from the days of Marcus Garvey, through the generation of Malcolm X and Martin Luther to date with the current USA president Obama, the needs keep changing prompting different angles to problems. For instance the Health care Bill was another form of ensuring that everyone in America has the chance to get a decent medical service which is a basic right for each one of us.
Most of the provisions of the Acts that push for equality have all along been actually interpreted, and directions on implementation given by the courts. This is the branch of government that has played a very significant role in the bringing to completion of the Acts as passed by the Houses. The courts to date still act as a vital link in interpretation of the law to suit the prevailing situations. One instance that still puts the courts on edge to date is the downsizing of companies in the recession period. Several cases of disproportionate layoffs in America have been reported though the onus has been upon the courts to determine whether they were driven by racist notions or economic factors (International Socialists Review, 2003)
Though still a tall order, the quest for equality is on the right track and various supplementary clauses in individual companies, government offices, NGOs,
It is worth noting that even with all the individual organizations provisions to ensure equality, they all point at the Acts that are inscribed in the constitution and the Bills passed. There have been more equal provisions of
job opportunities in USA, Desegregation of schools, public facilities, restaurants equal and fair treatment realized all over USA.
The recent picketing by the immigrant population in a push for more recognition and equality in allotment of jobs, the civil society urging the government to clamp down harder on the drug cartels, various prison strikes for better
living conditions, the gay rights movements picketing for adoption rights, and many more are all continued portrayal of continued push for recognition of Civil Rights in America.
References
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