Civil rights act of 1964

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. reacts in St. Augustine, Fla., after learning that the senate passsed the civil rights bill, June 19, 1964.

President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act on July 2, 1964, as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and others, look on.

Most Americans are familiar with the civil rights leaders of the 1950s and 1960s, specifically Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and their compatriots. But there was an earlier generation of activist…

“A riot is at bottom the language of the unheard.” Martin Luther King, Jr. on courage, equality, and justice (Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. Photo by U.S. Embassy New Delhi. CC by ND 2.0 via Flickr.) #MLK #language #rhetoric

A photograph shows Martin Luther King Jr. flipping the bird at a photographer.

Two high school teachers describe a role play about the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom that “shifted the gaze from the leaders on the stage to the marchers in the streets.”

He was marching in a circuitous route around a section of city blocks. People lined up on both sides; some cheering them on, many angry and threatening. As he peacefully walked, one woman stepped up to him and spit in his face. I will never forget his response. He paused and said, “You are too lovely a person to do something like that,” and went on. When he returned to that same place, the woman stepped forward again. And apologized. That, to me, is the essence of Dr. Martin Luther King.

Civil rights, guarantees of equal social opportunities and equal protection under the law regardless of race, religion, or other personal characteristics. Examples of civil rights include the right to vote, the right to a fair trial, the right to a public education, and the right to use public facilities.

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