What legal measure aimed to protect African Americans from discrimination in the 1960s?

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark piece of legislation aimed specifically at addressing and combatting discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. One of its primary achievements was to make it illegal to discriminate in various areas such as employment, public accommodations, and federally funded programs, thereby providing a legal foundation for African Americans and other marginalized groups to seek justice and equality under the law.

This act represented a significant step forward in the civil rights movement by not only outlawing segregation in schools and public places but also empowering the federal government to enforce desegregation. The impact of the Civil Rights Act was profound, as it facilitated greater access to opportunities for African Americans and helped to dismantle systemic discrimination, thereby contributing to the broader fight for civil rights in the United States.

While the Voting Rights Act, which prohibited racial discrimination in voting, and the Fair Housing Act, which prohibited discrimination in housing, were also important legal measures, they followed the Civil Rights Act and addressed specific aspects of discrimination. The Education Reform Act does not specifically target discrimination against African Americans and is generally focused on improving educational systems.