The purpose of the Civil Rights Act is
“to promote a more abiding commitment
to freedom, a more constant pursuit of justice, and a deeper respect for
human dignity.”
President Lyndon
B. Johnson,
July 2, 1964
 he
40th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act is an appropriate time to assess
how far we have come and how far we have yet to go. Clearly, much progress
has been made. The overt discrimination that relegated nonwhite Americans
to second-class citizenship and third-class opportunity has been outlawed.
But subtler forms of discrimination persist, and occasionally we are shaken
by instances of egregious racial injustice.
Further, demographic change has altered the civil rights landscape dramatically. Our country’s great social drama has shifted from black and white to color, as the nation has become more diverse and the issues more complex. This symposium will be divided into three broad themes. We will honor the courage of those who led the civil rights movement; our honorees include Representative John Lewis and Diane Nash. We will assess the changes since the passage of the Act, guided by policy makers such as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Rene Alexander Acosta, and analysts such as economist Bernard Anderson. Finally, we will call for a recommitment to social justice, inspired by speakers such as Texas State Senator Judith Zaffirini and James Zogby of the Arab-American Institute. (more speakers) |
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Registration and Hotel Information:
Jane Hackley, 512.232.4024, j.hackley@mail.utexas.edu Also Featured The Civil Rights Movement in Black &
White Martin
Luther King, Jr. Remembered Behold
the People,
R. C. Hickman’s Freedom
When? The Papers of James Screenings of significant films about the civil rights movement, selected and introduced by award-winning documentary film maker Paul Stekler |
Download printable symposium
posters Related links: |
UT Austin LBJ School Civil Rights Symposium
© Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs
March 15, 2004
