Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell (AL-07) released the following statement on the 50^th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964:

“Fifty years ago today, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law as a premier   cornerstone of the Great Society. This monumental piece of legislation ultimately dismantled the structures of legal segregation so that America could live up to its founding principles. Today we know that this legislation is as fundamental to our democracy as the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

We know, however, that passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 didn’t come without a price. Today we honor the men and women who helped make its passage a reality. We celebrate the countless unheralded Americans who challenged injustice and built the movement that served as the catalyst for legislative change. We have lived out the legacy of their sacrifices and have enjoyed new doors of opportunity as a result of their efforts. Our future is ever reliant on our efforts to fully vindicate their vision.

Although the Civil Rights Act of 1964 represented tremendous progress, the violence in Selma on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in March 1965 highlighted the need for stronger legislative action by Congress. Just as the tragic loss of the Four Little Girls in Birmingham on September 15, 1963 burned in President Johnson’s mind as he signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the events in Selma compelled him to introduce the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This is why we must remain committed to fully addressing the Supreme Court’s ruling in Shelby County v. Holder by passing an improved and strengthened Voting Rights Act. I will continue to work within the bipartisan efforts being taken by the House and Senate Judiciary Committees to strengthen this foundational legislation.”

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