Knowra Civil rights Civil rights Civil rights are legal protections against discrimination and guarantees of equal participation in public life. They constrain governments and, in some settings, private institutions.
Equal protection : A legal principle requiring government to treat people equally under the law, subject to recognized distinctions. It is a central constitutional standard for challenging discriminatory government action.
Voting rights : Legal protections securing eligible citizens' ability to register, cast ballots, and have votes counted. Voting protections secure participation in democratic government.
Brown v. Board of Education : A 1954 United States Supreme Court decision holding racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. The ruling rejected state-enforced school segregation under the Equal Protection Clause.
Civil Rights Movement : A broad twentieth-century movement challenging racial segregation and discrimination, especially in the United States. Its campaigns helped drive major changes in law and public policy.
United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division : A federal division that enforces United States laws prohibiting discrimination and protecting constitutional rights. It investigates and litigates civil-rights violations across multiple areas of public life.
Discrimination : Unequal treatment or disadvantage based on a characteristic, identity, or group membership. Civil-rights protections target specified forms of discriminatory treatment.
Fair Housing Act : A United States federal law prohibiting discrimination in housing transactions and related practices. It applies civil-rights protections to renting, selling, and financing housing.
Loving v. Virginia : A 1967 United States Supreme Court decision striking down state bans on interracial marriage. The Court applied equal protection and liberty principles against racial marriage restrictions.
Civil Rights Act of 1964 : A United States federal law prohibiting discrimination in public accommodations, employment, and federally funded programs, among other areas. It established sweeping national protections against racial and other forms of discrimination.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission : A United States federal agency that enforces laws against workplace discrimination. It receives discrimination charges and enforces federal employment protections.
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