What are the four civil rights?

A civil right is an enforceable right or privilege, which if interfered with by another gives rise to an action for injury.

Índice Show

Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Reconstruction Era
Reconstruction Amendments
Some Reconstruction Laws
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Twenty-Fourth Amendment
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Civil Rights Act of 1968
State Civil Rights Efforts
Disenfranchisement
Further Reading

Discrimination occurs when the civil rights of an individual are denied or interfered with because of the individual's membership in a particular group or class. Various jurisdictions have enacted statutes to prevent discrimination based on a person's race, sex, religion, age, previous condition of servitude, physical limitation, national origin, and in some instances sexual orientation.

Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

People often confuse civil rights and civil liberties. Civil rights refer to legal provisions that stem from notions of equality. Civil rights are not in the Bill of Rights; they deal with legal protections. For example, the right to vote is a civil right. A civil liberty, on the other hand, refers to personal freedoms protected by the Bill of Rights. For example, the First Amendment's right to free speech is a civil liberty.

Reconstruction Era

The Reconstruction Era was the period following the Civil War in which the federal government attempted to pass laws aimed at helping victims of slavery, primarily African-Americans.

Reconstruction Amendments

The Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution constituted the largest expansion of civil rights in the history of the United States. The Thirteenth Amendment outlawed involuntary servitude. The Fourteenth Amendment made it illegal for a state to pass laws "which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of the citizens of the United States... [or] deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, [or] deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." The Fifteenth Amendment prohibits the U.S. or any state to deny a citizen the right to vote based on that person's "race, color, or previous condition of servitude." These Amendments are called the Reconstruction Amendments because they were passed during the Reconstruction Era.

Some Reconstruction Laws

During the Reconstruction Era, Congress enacted numerous civil rights statutes. Many of these are still in force today and protect individuals from discrimination and from the deprivation of their civil rights. Section 1981 of Title 42 (Equal Rights Under the Law) protects individuals from discrimination based on race in making and enforcing contracts, participating in lawsuits, and giving evidence. See 42 U.S.C. § 1981. Other statutes, derived from acts of the reconstruction era, that protect against discrimination include: Civil Action for Deprivation of Rights (See 42 U.S.C. § 1983); Conspiracies to Interfere With Civil Rights (See 42 U.S.C. § 1985); Conspiracy Against Rights of Citizens (See 18 U.S.C. § 241); Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law, (See 18 U.S.C. § 242); The Jurisdictional Statue for Civil Rights Cases (See 28 U.S.C. § 1443); and Peonage Abolished (See 42 U.S.C. § 1994).

Civil Rights Act of 1964

The most prominent civil rights legislation since Reconstruction is the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Congress, using its power to regulate interstate commerce, enacted the Civil Rights Act of 1964 under Title 42, Chapter 21 of the United States Code. Discrimination based on "race, color, religion, or national origin" in public establishments that have a connection to interstate commerce or are supported by the state is prohibited. See 42 U.S.C. § 2000a. Public establishments include places of public accommodation (e.g., hotels, motels, and trailer parks), restaurants, gas stations, bars, taverns, and places of entertainment in general. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and subsequent legislation also declared a strong legislative policy against discrimination in public schools and colleges which aided in desegregation. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination in federally funded programs. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits employment discrimination where the employer is engaged in interstate commerce. Congress has passed numerous other laws dealing with employment discrimination.

The judiciary, most notably the Supreme Court, plays a crucial role in interpreting the extent of the civil rights, as a single Supreme Court ruling can alter the recognition of a right throughout the nation. The federal courts have been crucial in mandating and supervising school desegregation programs and other programs established to rectify state or local discrimination.

Twenty-Fourth Amendment

The Twenty-Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1964, banned poll taxes. A poll tax is a tax imposed on anybody who votes at a polling place. Poll taxes discouraged poorer citizens from voting, disproportionately affecting minorities. As such, poll taxes interfere with the civil right of voting.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is codified in 52 U.S. Code § 10101. The act states: "All citizens of the United States who are otherwise qualified by law to vote at any election by the people . . . shall be entitled and allowed to vote at all such elections, without distinction of race, color, or previous condition of servitude."

Civil Rights Act of 1968

The Civil Rights Act of 1968 is also known as the Fair Housing Act. This Act protects against numerous sorts of housing discrimination, including rentals, sales, real estate transactions, and brokerage services. The Act "prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental and financing of dwellings based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin." Congress also created housing discrimination protections for individuals with disabilities through the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. These Acts, in essence, expanded upon the scope of the Civil Rights Act of 1968. Congress also expanded housing protection to the elderly in the Housing for Older Persons Act of 1995.

State Civil Rights Efforts

In addition to federal guarantees, some states provide further protection of civil rights. New York's New York State Human Rights Law is one such example.

Numerous international agreements and declarations recognize human rights. The United States has signed some of these agreements, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Disenfranchisement

Disenfranchisement refers to the removal of civil rights, primarily the the right to vote. States are able to place certain restrictions on who can vote, including restrictions based upon someone's criminal record.

The Supreme Court affirmed in Richardson v. Ramirez, 418 U.S. 24 (1974) that under Section Two, states can prohibit convicted felons from voting after serving their prison sentence.

Vermont and Maine do not practice felon disenfranchisement; Florida, Virginia, Iowa, and Kentucky do not allow felons to vote; the other 44 states have some sort of criminal disenfranchisement law.

As an example, Florida has its felon disenfranchisement law included in its state Constitution. As such, in order to change the policy, the state would need to pass a state constitutional amendment.

Title	Public Law (PL) and Statute (Stat.)	Main Provisions
Thirteenth Amendment	13 Stat. 567; 13 Stat. 774	Abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. Approved by the 38th Congress (1863–1865) as S.J. Res. 16; ratified by the states on December 6, 1865.
Civil Rights Act of 1866	14 Stat. 27	Declared all persons (except Native Americans) born or naturalized in the United States to be citizens. Guaranteed the rights of all citizens to make and enforce contracts and to purchase, sell, or lease property. Passed by the 39th Congress (1865–1867) as S. 61.
Fourteenth Amendment	14 Stat. 358; 15 Stat. 706	Declared that all persons born or naturalized in the U.S. were citizens and that any state that denied or abridged the voting rights of men over the age of 21 would be subject to proportional reductions in its representation in the U.S. House of Representatives. Approved by the 39th Congress (1865–1867) as H.J. Res. 127; ratified by the states on July 9, 1868.
First Reconstruction Act	14 Stat. 428	Divided the former Confederate States (except Tennessee) into five military districts, each administered by a general charged with maintaining law and order. Required the former Confederate states to adopt new constitutions, ratify the Fourteenth Amendment, and allow African-American suffrage as conditions for readmission to the Union. Passed by the 39th Congress (1865–1867) as H.R. 1143.
Second Reconstruction Act	15 Stat. 2	Provided for the election of delegates to participate in constitutional conventions in each of the former Confederate states. Required the governors of each military district to register all male citizens to vote, provided that they were at least 21 years old, have taken an oath of loyalty, and have not been disenfranchised for participating in rebellion against the United States. Required drafts of state constitutions to be submitted to Congress for approval. Passed by the 40th Congress (1867–1869) as H.R. 33.
Third Reconstruction Act	15 Stat. 14	Granted the governors of each military district established in the former Confederate states absolute authority over all civilian and military officials at the state and local level. Granted the governors of each military district the power to determine the eligibility of voters. Passed by the 40th Congress (1867–1869) as H.R. 123.
Fourth Reconstruction Act	15 Stat. 41	Specified that any election to select the delegates to the constitutional conventions of each of the former Confederate states, as well as any election to adopt a new constitution in said states, must be decided by a majority of the votes actually cast, not by a majority of the number of registered voters. Passed by the 40th Congress (1867–1869) as H.R. 214.
Fifteenth Amendment	15 Stat. 346; 16 Stat. 1131	Prohibited states from depriving a citizen of his right to vote because of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. Approved by the 40th Congress (1867–1869) as S.J. Res. 8; ratified by the states on February 3, 1870.
First Enforcement Act	16 Stat. 140	Prohibited discrimination in voter registration on the basis of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. Established penalties for interfering with a person’s right to vote. Gave federal courts the power to enforce the act and to employ the use of federal marshals and the Army to uphold it. Passed by the 41st Congress (1869–1871) as H.R. 1293.
Second Enforcement Act	16 Stat. 433	Allowed federal circuit judges to appoint supervisors to monitor federal elections. Authorized U.S. Marshals to employ deputies to maintain order at polling places. Passed by the 41st Congress (1869–1871) as H.R. 2634.
Third Enforcement Act (Ku Klux Klan Act)	17 Stat. 13	Enforced the Fourteenth Amendment by guaranteeing all citizens of the United States the rights afforded by the Constitution and provided legal protection under the law. Held state governments liable for failure to provide all citizens with equal protection under the law. Empowered the President to suspend habeas corpus in areas deemed to be in rebellion against the government. Passed by the 42nd Congress (1871–1873) as H.R. 320.
Civil Rights Act of 1875	18 Stat. 335	Barred discrimination in public accommodations and on public conveyances on land and water. Prohibited the exclusion of African Americans from jury duty. Passed by the 43rd Congress (1873–1875) as H.R. 796.
Nineteenth Amendment	41 Stat. 362; 41 Stat. 1823	Granted women the right to vote in the United States. Approved by the 66th Congress (1919–1921) as H.J. Res. 1; ratified by the states on August 18, 1920.
Civil Rights Act of 1957	PL 85–315; 71 Stat. 634	Created the six-member Commission on Civil Rights. The Commission was ordered to document cases in which certain citizens were deprived of their right to vote, and to report on the effectiveness of existing federal law with respect to the Fourteenth Amendment's equal protection clause. Established the Civil Rights Division in the U.S. Department of Justice. Authorized the U.S. Attorney General to seek court injunctions against deprivation and obstruction of voting rights by state officials. Passed by the 85th Congress (1957–1959) as H.R. 6127.
Civil Rights Act of 1960	PL 86–449; 74 Stat. 86	Expanded the enforcement powers of the Civil Rights Act of 1957 regarding voting rights and introduced criminal penalties for obstructing the implementation of federal court orders. Required that voting and registration records for federal elections be preserved. Passed by the 86th Congress (1959–1961) as H.R. 8601.
Twenty-fourth Amendment	76 Stat. 1259; 78 Stat. 1117	Outlawed the poll tax as a requirement in federal elections. Approved by the 87th Congress (1961–1963) as S.J. Res. 29; ratified by the states on January 23, 1964.
Civil Rights Act of 1964	PL 88–352; 78 Stat. 241	Prohibited discrimination in public accommodations, facilities, and schools. Outlawed discrimination in federally funded projects. Prohibited employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to monitor employment discrimination. Provided additional capacities to enforce voting rights. Extended the Civil Rights Commission for four years. Passed by the 88th Congress (1963–1965) as H.R. 7152.
Voting Rights Act of 19651	PL 89–110; 79 Stat. 437	Suspended the use of literacy tests as a requirement to vote. Authorized the use of federal examiners to supervise voter registration in states that used literacy tests or in which less than half of the voting-eligible residents registered or voted. Established preclearance requirements in certain jurisdictions that prohibited changes in voting procedures without permission from the U.S. Attorney General or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Directed the U.S. Attorney General to institute proceedings against use of poll taxes. Passed by the 89th Congress (1965–1967) as S. 1564.
Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act)	PL 90–284; 82 Stat. 73	Established the first federal hate crimes statute. Prohibited the use of force to injure, intimidate, or otherwise interfere with any person on account of their race, color, religion, or national origin. Prohibited discrimination in the sale, rental, or financing of housing. Passed by the 90th Congress (1967–1969) as H.R. 2516.
Voting Rights Act Amendments of 19701	PL 91–285; 84 Stat. 314	Extended the provisions of the Voting Rights Act for five years. Passed by the 91st Congress (1969–1971) as H.R. 4249.
Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972	PL 92–261; 86 Stat. 103	Provided the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission with the authority to bring federal lawsuits against employers accused of engaging in discriminatory employment practices. Expanded the scope of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, extending its anti-employment discrimination provisions to cover educational institutions, state and local governments, and private employers with at least 15 employees. Passed by the 92nd Congress (1971–1973) as H.R. 1746.
Voting Rights Act Amendments of 19751	PL 94–73; 89 Stat. 400	Extended the provisions of the Voting Rights Act for seven years. Permanently banned literacy tests. Provided for bilingual election materials in jurisdictions with significant language minority populations. Passed by the 94th Congress (1975–1977) as H.R. 6219.
Voting Rights Act Amendments of 19821	PL 97–205; 96 Stat. 131	Extended the provisions of the Voting Rights Act for 25 years. Allowed jurisdictions that could provide evidence of maintaining a clean voting rights record for at least 10 years to avoid preclearance coverage (the requirement of federal approval of any change to local or state voting laws). Provided for aid and instruction to disabled or illiterate voters. Extended the requirement for bilingual election materials in jurisdictions with significant language minority populations. Passed by the 97th Congress (1981–1983) as H.R. 3112.
Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987	PL 100–259; 102 Stat. 28	Established that antidiscrimination laws are applicable to an entire organization if any part of the organization receives federal funds. Passed by the 100th Congress (1987–1989) as S. 557.
Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988	PL 100–430; 102 Stat. 1619	Strengthened the powers of enforcement granted to the Housing and Urban Development Department in the 1968 Fair Housing Act. Passed by the 100th Congress (1987–1989) as H.R. 1158.
Civil Rights Act of 1991	PL 102–166; 105 Stat. 1071	Reversed a series of U.S. Supreme Court decisions rendered in the 1980s that weakened existing civil rights laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Provided for plaintiffs to receive monetary damages in cases of harassment or discrimination based on sex, religion, or disability. Established the Glass Ceiling Commission to study and make recommendations to eliminate barriers to the advancement of women and racial minorities in corporate hierarchies. Passed by the 102nd Congress (1991–1993) as S. 1745.
Voting Rights Act of 20061	PL 109–246; 120 Stat. 577	Extended the provisions of the Voting Rights Act and bilingual election requirements for 25 years. Directed the U.S. Comptroller General to study and report to Congress on the implementation, effectiveness, and efficiency of bilingual voting materials requirements. Passed by the 109th Congress (2005–2007) as H.R. 9.
Emmett Till Antilynching Act	PL 117–107; 136 Stat. 1125	Specifies lynching as a federal hate crime. Establishes criminal penalties for any hate crime that results in death, serious injury, kidnapping, or aggravated sexual abuse. Passed by the 117th Congress (2021–2023) as H.R. 55.