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US celebrates 50 years of civil rights

Fifty years ago, on 2nd July 1964, President Lyndon B Johnson signed his name on a sheet of paper. In doing so, he overturned centuries of racism by outlawing discrimination on the grounds of colour, sex or religion. As he told the nation, "its purpose is not to divide, but to end divisions, divisions that have lasted all too long". The signing of the Civil Rights Act was one the most significant moments in America's struggle for racial equality. This had first began to gain traction in 1955, when Rosa Parks refused to stand on a crowded bus just so that one White person could sit. At the time, "Jim CrowThe 'Jim Crow' laws, which were enforced in the US states that had supported the Confederates during the civil war, meant separate and inferior services for Black people." laws in America's southern states mandated racial segregationA racist policy separating White and Black Americans. It was used in the southern United States from 1877 to 1968. in public places such as schools and on transport. Rosa Parks inspired the civil rights movement, and as it grew, activists began boycottsTo withdraw relations from an organisation as a punishment or protest. The word comes from the surname of a Victorian Irish landlord who was subject to a boycott from poor farmers who demanded rent reduction. of transport and defiant sit-ins in segregated areas. An iconic moment occurred in 1963, when leading activist Martin Luther King JrPerhaps the most important anti-racist activist in history, his campaign of non-violent protest was essential in securing civil rights for African Americans. After years of persecution by racist organisations and the US government, he was shot dead in 1967. addressed 250,000 supporters in Washington and delivered his "I have a dream" speech, calling for equality. President Kennedy worked to enshrine racial equality in law, but he was assassinated in November 1963. His successor, President Johnson, continued his efforts. Opponents did what they could to filibusterThe act of deliberately debating a bill for so long that there is not enough time in which to have a vote. the vote, but after herculean efforts and the longest debate in CongressThe legislative branch of the American government, where elected representatives vote on which laws should be passed. Congress is made up of two chambers: the Senate, which contains two members from each of the 50 states, and the House of Representatives, which has representatives from 435 smaller districts.'s history, the Civil Rights Act was passed. Discrimination persisted, with race riots occurring that year in cities from New York to Chicago. Many tried to find ways to circumvent the ban, such as making public libraries members only. Yet in the long run, the act paved the way towards making the US a more equal society. Fifty years later, the man with Johnson's job is Black. President Obama says without the act, he would not be in the White HouseThe official residence of the US president, in Washington DC. Burnt by British troops in 1814, it was rebuilt and painted white to hide the smoke stains. today. Yet racial inequality is still rife: Black people are twice as likely to be unemployed than Whites and are three times more likely to be expelled from school. So how should we remember the act's legacy? Some say that with racial inequality still widespread in America, the Civil Rights Act has failed. There have been numerous disturbances due to continuing inequality, and riots occurred in 1992 after police were filmed brutally beating Rodney King. Despite Black people constituting 12% of the US population, almost half the two million in prisons are Black. Yet others argue that attitudes have changed enormously in the last 50 years thanks to the Civil Rights Act. The vast majority of Americans now abhorHate. racism. America has its first Black president, something unimaginable when the act was passed. The US still has its problems, but we should celebrate the act for transforming the country. Q & A Why are we celebrating if racism still exists? Segregation is long over, and overt statements of racism are less prevalent, but there is still much more to do. Some say racism has just become more subtle and negative stereotypes often persist. A study found 89% of Black women in films will swear and act offensively, whereas only 17% of white women are portrayed this way. What were the other effects of the Civil Rights Act? Johnson was a Democrat and on signing the act said "I think we have just delivered the south to the Republican PartyAlso known as the Grand Old Party or GOP, it is one of the USA's two major political parties. Its first president was Abraham Lincoln. It sits on the right of the political spectrum.". Many in the south did not like the ending of their privileges, so turned to the Republicans, who promised them greater control of local affairs. This split the US between a Republican south and a Democrat north, a division which is still strong today.KeywordsJim Crow - The 'Jim Crow' laws, which were enforced in the US states that had supported the Confederates during the civil war, meant separate and inferior services for Black people.

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