Civil Rights Era

Outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in employment, public accommodations, and federally funded programs. Title VII created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

The most comprehensive civil rights legislation since Reconstruction, fundamentally transforming American society.

Prohibited racial discrimination in voting, outlawing literacy tests and other barriers to voter registration. Established federal oversight of elections in jurisdictions with a history of discrimination.

Effectively enforced the Fifteenth Amendment and transformed political participation in the South.

Abolished the national origins quota system and replaced it with a preference system emphasizing family reunification and skilled workers. Dramatically changed the demographic composition of American immigration.

Transformed American immigration policy from race-based restrictions to a merit and family-based system.

Established the public's right to request access to records from any federal agency, subject to nine exemptions for national security, privacy, and law enforcement. Requires agencies to respond within 20 business days.

Created government transparency as a legal right and a tool for investigative journalism.

Prohibited employment discrimination against persons aged 40 and older. Protected workers from forced retirement and age-based hiring and firing practices.

Extended civil rights protections to older workers and combated ageism in the workplace.

Prohibited discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, religion, or national origin. Later amended to include sex, familial status, and disability.

Addressed housing segregation and established the legal framework for combating discriminatory housing practices.

Required federal agencies to assess the environmental impact of proposed actions before making decisions. Created the Council on Environmental Quality and mandated Environmental Impact Statements for major federal actions.

Established environmental review as a fundamental requirement of federal decision-making.

Created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to set and enforce workplace safety standards. Required employers to provide workplaces free from recognized hazards.

Established the federal framework for workplace safety that has saved hundreds of thousands of lives.

Established comprehensive federal regulations to control air pollution, setting National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and requiring states to develop implementation plans. Created the framework for regulating emissions from stationary and mobile sources.

Became the foundation of American environmental law and dramatically improved air quality nationwide.

Prohibited sex-based discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. Transformed women's participation in school athletics and addressed sexual harassment in educational institutions.

Revolutionized gender equity in American education and athletics.

Established the regulatory framework for controlling water pollution, setting water quality standards and requiring permits for point-source discharges. Set a goal of making all U.S. waters fishable and swimmable.

Dramatically reduced water pollution and created the permitting system for industrial discharges.

Prohibited discrimination based on disability in federal programs and by federal contractors. Section 504 became the model for the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Established the first comprehensive federal disability rights protections.

Provided for the conservation of species threatened with extinction and the ecosystems on which they depend. Required federal agencies to ensure their actions do not jeopardize listed species or destroy critical habitat.

Created the strongest wildlife protection law in the world and saved species like the bald eagle from extinction.