Civil Rights and Social Justice

What Are Civil Rights?

Civil Rights

• ensure protection from discrimination based on:
  • race
  • gender
  • sexual orientation
  • national origin or ethnicity
  • religion
  • age
  • disability

Not to be confused with civil liberties.

• these are basic freedoms outlined in the Bill of Rights and Constitution. Examples include:
  • right to free speech
  • right to privacy
  • right to remain silent during police interrogation
  • right to a fair trial

Major Constitutional Protections for Civil Rights

Thirteenth Amendment

• ratified in 1865
• abolished slavery and involuntary servitude except for persons convicted of a crime

Fourteenth Amendment

• ratified in 1868
• “No state shall make or enforce any law which shall … deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws”
• granted citizenship to all persons born in the United States
• afforded due process protections against state and local governments

Fifteenth Amendment

• ratified in 1870
• prohibits governments from denying citizens the right to vote based on “race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”

Major Legislation

Civil Rights Act of 1964

• signed by President Johnson
• outlaws discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin
• contains 11 titles regulating voting, the workplace, public schools, and public accommodations (ex. retail stores, recreational facilities, hotels, rental properties)

Voting Rights Act of 1965

• signed by President Johnson
• provided robust enforcement of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments
• created a coverage formula for determining jurisdictions that are subject to additional special provisions
• these special provisions are for the most historically discriminatory jurisdictions by mandating that certain states receive federal preclearance before changing their voting laws
  • coverage formula was repealed in 2013 by the U.S. Supreme Court in Shelby County v. Holder

American with Disabilities Act of 1990

• signed by President George H.W. Bush
• structurally modeled after the Civil Rights Act of 1964
• covers both physical and mental disabilities
• prohibits discrimination  based on disability  in all areas of public life
• requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to covered employees to allow them to do their jobs
• sets the minimum standards for accessibility for alterations and new construction of public facilities and directs businesses to make reasonable accommodations to serve people with disabilities

About HeinOnline's Social Justice Suite

Free of charge to HeinOnline Core subscribers and any interested organizations.

To honor our core value of corporate citizenship, Hein offers five of its databases free of charge to its core American and international subscribers, and to the libraries of any other interested organizations or institutions. This Social Justice Suite consists of the following resources:

• Slavery in America and the World: History, Culture and Law
• Gun Regulation and Legislation in America
• Civil Rights and Social Justice
• Open Society Justice Initiative
• LGBTQ+ Rights

Registering for free access to any one of these databases will provide complimentary access to the entire suite. We hope that in making these materials accessible to all, we can help foster knowledge, facilitate civil discourse, and encourage action for the betterment of our nation.

From the Pages of The Charleston Advisor:

The SJS (Social Justice Suite) databases contain very timely content on issues regarding civil and human rights, the right to bear arms, and gun violence ... Very relevant and comprehensive content per respective topical areas.
- Winward, Kyle D. "Social Justice Suite." The Charleston Advisor 24, no. 3 (January 2023): 53-57. Advisor Reviews—Standard Review.