OneV’s Top 20 Moments in American Voting History: #6 – The Civil Rights Act of 1964

At One Nation Every Vote (OneV), we are committed to telling the stories that have helped expand access to the ballot and shape American democracy. As we continue our countdown of OneV’s Top 20 Moments in American Voting History, we arrive at Moment #6: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 — a sweeping and transformative piece of legislation that helped dismantle systemic racial discrimination and laid the groundwork for future voting rights protections.

What Led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
The decades following Reconstruction saw the rise of Jim Crow laws across the American South, enforcing segregation and denying African Americans equal access to public facilities, education, employment, and — crucially — the ballot box. Despite the guarantees of the Fifteenth Amendment, discriminatory practices such as literacy tests, grandfather clauses, poll taxes, and outright intimidation effectively suppressed Black voter participation for generations.

By the mid-20th century, the civil rights movement had gathered significant strength. From legal battles waged by the NAACP, to the grassroots organizing of communities across the country, to the courageous acts of nonviolent protest led by leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., pressure for comprehensive federal action was mounting.

Events such as the Birmingham Campaign in 1963, the March on Washington, and widespread media coverage of violent resistance to civil rights demonstrations exposed the moral urgency of the issue. President John F. Kennedy proposed civil rights legislation in 1963, and following his assassination, President Lyndon B. Johnson committed to pushing it through Congress.

What Did the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Do?
Signed into law on July 2, 1964, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was one of the most comprehensive pieces of civil rights legislation in U.S. history. While not solely focused on voting rights, its impact on the expansion of political participation — especially for African Americans — was significant.
Key provisions of the Act:

• Outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in public accommodations and employment.
• Empowered the federal government to enforce desegregation of schools and public spaces.
• Authorized the federal government to withhold funds from programs practicing discrimination.
• Crucially, Title I of the Act addressed voting rights by requiring equal application of voter registration requirements and authorized the Department of Justice to take legal action against states and counties that practiced voter suppression.

What Happened Next?
While the Civil Rights Act of 1964 did not eliminate all barriers to voting, it set the stage for much more targeted reforms. The law signaled a new federal commitment to protecting civil rights, and it gave advocates additional tools to challenge discriminatory practices in court.

However, persistent resistance to desegregation and voter suppression — particularly in the Deep South — made it clear that even stronger protections were necessary. Just one year later, the Civil Rights Act paved the way for the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which would directly address the widespread disenfranchisement of African Americans.

Why Was This Change Important?
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 marked a turning point in American history. For the first time since Reconstruction, the federal government acted decisively to protect civil rights, including equal access to the ballot. By prohibiting discriminatory voter registration practices and reinforcing the idea that the right to vote must not be determined by race, the Act began to chip away at the legal architecture of disenfranchisement.

Its passage also demonstrated the power of collective civic action — of protest, legal strategy, advocacy, and moral leadership — to bring about transformational change. It remains a powerful reminder of what is possible when people organize around the principles of equality and justice.

Stay Tuned for Moment #5
Our countdown continues. Join us next week as we reveal Moment #5 in OneV’s Top 20 Moments in American Voting History — another critical step forward in expanding the right to vote and strengthening American democracy.

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At One Nation Every Vote (OneV), we believe in the power of nonpartisan stories to educate, inspire, and mobilize voters. If you want to learn more about the history of voting rights in America, hear the stories that shaped our democracy, and help increase voter turnout in elections across all levels of government, support our work today.