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Civil Rights Act Of 1968




:Fair Housing Act'' redirects here. For the 1963 California law dealing with the same topic, see '' Rumford Fair Housing Act .

On April 11 , 1968 , President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (also known as CRA '68), which was meant as a follow-up to the Civil Rights Act Of 1964 . While the Civil Rights Act Of 1866 prohibited discrimination in housing, there were no federal enforcement provisions. The 1968 expanded on previous acts and prohibited discrimination concerning the sale, rental, and financing of Housing based on race, religion, national origin, sex, (and as amended) handicap and family status. It also provided protection for civil rights workers. Title VIII of the Act is also known as the '''Fair Housing Act''' (of 1968) .

The Civil Right Act of 1968 prohibited the following forms of discrimination:

1. Refusal to sell or rent a dwelling to any person because of his race, color, religion or national origin

2. Discrimination against a person in the terms, conditions or privilege of the sale or rental of a dwelling.

3. Advertising the sale or rental of a dwelling indicating preference of discrimination based on race, color, religion or national origin.

4. Coercing, threatening, intimidating, or interfering with a person's enjoyment or exercise of housing rights based on discriminatory reasons or retaliating against a person or organization that aids or encourages the exercise or enjoyment of fair housing rights.

Victims of discrimation may use both the 1968 act and the 1866 act (via section 1982) to seek redress. The 1968 act provides for federal solutions while the 1866 act provides for private solutions (i.e., civil suits).

Its passing was largely spurred by the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. a week before.

Vote statistics (Senate):
  • Passed 71-20

  • Democrats : 42-17 (71.2% For, 28.8% Against)

  • Republicans : 29-3 (90.6% For, 9.4% Against)


House:

  • Passed 250-172

  • Democrats: 150-88 (63% For, 37% Against)

  • Republicans: 100-84 (54.3% For, 45.6% Against)