Which U.S. president signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. He signed the landmark law on July 2, 1964, at the White House after it passed Congress.

The act prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin in areas including employment, public accommodations and federally assisted programs. It also strengthened the federal government’s ability to enforce school desegregation and voting protections.

President John F. Kennedy had proposed major civil rights legislation in 1963, but he was assassinated before Congress completed its work. Johnson made passage a legislative priority and used his influence to help move the bill through the Senate after a lengthy filibuster.

The law was a major achievement of the civil rights movement, but it did not end every form of discrimination. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 addressed voting barriers more directly, while later court cases and laws continued to shape enforcement.