President Barack Obama hailed the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act Wednesday, saying the landmark law “transformed the concepts of justice, equality and democracy for generations to come” in the United States.
“Few pieces of legislation have defined our national identity as distinctly, or as powerfully,” Obama said in a written statement.
President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act on July 2, 1964, thereby outlawing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin, and ending segregation in schools and public accommodations.
The law paved the way for the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Fair Housing Act of 1968, the president noted.
While the Civil Rights Act of 1964 brought the nation closer to its founding ideal – “we are all created equal” – Obama said “that journey continues” today.
“A half a century later, we’re still working to tear down barriers and put opportunity within reach for every American, no matter who they are, what they look like, or where they come from,” Obama said.
He added, “so as we celebrate this anniversary and the undeniable progress we’ve made over the past 50 years, we also remember those who have fought tirelessly to perfect our union, and recommit ourselves to making America more just, more equal and more free.”
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