Ackermann & Tilajef, P.C., Founding and Managing Shareholder; Employment Mediation Corp., Co-Owner and Founding Mediator
On July 2nd, 1964, exactly 60 years ago, President Johnson ("LBJ") signed the landmark 1964 Civil Rights Act. The part of that law prohibiting workplace discrimination based on race, religion and sex is called Title VII. LBJ's remarks that day are worth reviewing. He speaks about the "unending search for justice" that is part of the American experience. He praises the Founders, while simultaneously insisting that, with the passage of the 1964 CRA, America will finally begin to live up to the promise of its own original ideals. "Those who are equal before Gd will now finally be equal in the voting booth and in the workplace," said the President. The purpose of the 1964 CRA is not to divide us, he added, but to bring us together, through a deep and abiding respect for human dignity. Note that there is no rejection of American or Western values here; just the opposite. As July 4th approaches, it is time for all of us to come together to eliminate what LBJ called the "last vestiges of injustice" in the American experiment and to do so with pride and respect for our country's values and ideals. IMHO, the passage of the 1964 CRA was a holy moment in American history. President Johnson's remarks can be found here: