This day in 1964, the United States has signed into law the Civil Rights Act – the most historic and consequential legislation which sought to end dicrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or natural origin. The law guarantees equal voting rights by repealing policies that discriminate minorities and underprivileged, and also prohibits racial segregation and sexual discrimination.
In televised signing event, U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson used more than 75 pens in signing the law as mementoes with the first pens given to Civil Rights Activist Martin Luther King Jr. The law as also a tribute to the late US Pres. John F. Kennedy as civil rights reform was one of his key campaign platforms.