Civil Rights Act of 1964 signed, Title VII prohibits employment discrimination

President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964, landmark legislation that prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in employment, public accommodations, education, and federally funded programs. Title VII of the Act creates the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to investigate complaints and enforce employment discrimination protections. The Act represents the most comprehensive civil rights legislation since Reconstruction and establishes the legal framework for workplace equality and affirmative action enforcement that will persist for decades, triggering both progress and controversy over preferential hiring practices.