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The Civil Rights Act Did Not Happen Over Night

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The Civil Rights Act did not happen over night; however, many fought for it and soon prevailed. During John F Kennedy’s presidency the Civil Rights Act was begun. The bill was called for by President John F. Kennedy address of the nation on June 11, 1963. The President gave a speech asking for a law “giving all Americans the right to be served in all places which are open to the public—Motels, restaurants, movies, clothing stores, as well as the right to vote”. President Kennedy made this speech after protests from the Black community about how they were being mistreated, the most current being the Birmingham campaign which ended in May 1963. There were many factors to the civil rights act of 1964 from presidents to normal “civilians”. In today’s society the Civil Rights Act is allowing equal opportunities for everyone. The Civil Rights was not just an act it was a movement fought for almost twenty years. Starting in 1948 with Truman’s executive order 9981 that gave equality in the military (infoplease.com, Brunner). Then in 1054 the case of Brown versus Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, was finalized with the decision that segregation within public schools was wrong. In august of 1955 the tragedy of Emmett Till occurred, where he was brutally murdered. There are many more effects of the Civil Rights act, but these were some of the turning points. Truman’s Executive order was filed during world war two when all men were being drafted

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