Minority Rights

The first comprehensive civil rights legislation enacted to protect the rights of minorities and
others underrepresented in education and employment was the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title
VI, 42 U.S.C. § 2000d et seq., was enacted as part of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964. It
prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs and activities
receiving federal financial assistance. As President John F. Kennedy said in 1963:
“Simple justice requires that public funds, to which all taxpayers of all races [colors, and
national origins] contribute, not be spent in any fashion which encourages, entrenches,
subsidizes or results in racial [color or national origin] discrimination.”