Civil Rights Acts – Timeline of Key Laws & Amendments

This page traces the history of the Civil Rights Acts, from Reconstruction through the modern era. Each law expanded (or attempted to expand) protections for equality under the Constitution.

Civil Rights Act of 1866

• First U.S. civil rights law, passed after the Civil War.
• Guaranteed citizenship and equal rights regardless of race.
• Codified in 42 U.S.C. § 1981 (contracts and property rights).

Civil Rights Act of 1871 (Ku Klux Klan Act)

• Targeted racial violence and intimidation in the South.
• Created civil remedies against those acting “under color of law” to deprive rights.
• Still forms the basis of 42 U.S.C. § 1983 civil rights lawsuits.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

• Landmark modern civil rights law.
• Prohibited discrimination in employment (Title VII), public accommodations (Title II), and federally funded programs (Title VI).
• Created the EEOC to enforce anti-discrimination law.

Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act)

• Prohibited housing discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin.
• Later amended to include sex (1974), disability (1988), and family status (1988).

Civil Rights Act of 1991

• Strengthened employee rights under Title VII.
• Allowed jury trials and compensatory/punitive damages for intentional discrimination.
• Clarified burden of proof standards in employment discrimination cases.

Why It Matters Today

The Civil Rights Acts collectively:

National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) (1935)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (29 U.S.C. § 151 et seq.)

2) Why It Was Done
The NLRA was enacted to protect employees’ rights to organize, form unions, engage in collective bargaining, and take collective action, including strikes, in order to balance the power between employers and workers.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
Before the NLRA, union activity was often suppressed through injunctions and antitrust laws. The 1926 Railway Labor Act gave some protections, but coverage was limited. The NLRA provided nationwide labor rights for most private-sector employees.

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) (1938)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq.)

2) Why It Was Done
The FLSA was enacted during the New Deal to establish minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards, addressing abusive labor practices and exploitation.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
Before FLSA, there was no comprehensive federal wage or hour law. States had patchwork labor laws, but enforcement was inconsistent and often weak.

Labor & Employment Rights – Timeline of Key Acts

U.S. labor and employment law has evolved over decades to protect workers’ rights, expand equality, and balance the power of employers and employees. Below is a timeline of the most impactful laws still shaping the workplace today.

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA, 1938)

• Established the minimum wage, overtime pay, and child labor protections.
• Codified at 29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq.
• Continues to be amended to adjust wage and hour standards.

Equal Pay Act (1963)

• Amended the FLSA to require equal pay for equal work regardless of sex.
• Foundation for modern pay equity litigation.

Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII)

• Prohibited employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
• Created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA, 1967)

• Prohibited discrimination against workers age 40 and over.
• Still a key protection for older employees.

Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA, 1970)

• Established the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
• Required employers to provide workplaces “free from recognized hazards.”

Rehabilitation Act (1973)

• Prohibited discrimination on the basis of disability in federal programs and contractors.
• Precursor to the ADA.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, 1990; amended 2008)

• Prohibited discrimination based on disability in employment, public accommodations, and government services.
• Amended in 2008 to broaden the definition of disability.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA, 1993)

• Guaranteed eligible employees up to 12 weeks unpaid, job-protected leave for family or medical reasons.
• Expanded to include military caregiver leave provisions.

Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA, 1994)

• Protects the employment and reemployment rights of servicemembers returning from duty.
• Codified at 38 U.S.C. §§ 4301–4335.

Civil Rights Act of 1991

• Strengthened Title VII protections.
• Allowed jury trials and damages for intentional discrimination.

Recent Updates & Continuing Impact

• Wage, overtime, and leave standards continue to evolve through regulation and litigation.
• Debates continue over paid leave, minimum wage, gig work, and workplace discrimination.
• These laws remain the foundation of worker rights in the U.S.

Official Sources

• U.S. Department of Labor – Major Laws
• U.S. Code – Title 29 (Labor)
• EEOC – Employment Discrimination Laws
• USERRA – 38 U.S.C. §§ 4301–4335

Employment Act (1946)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (15 U.S.C. §§ 1021–1022)

2) Why It Was Done
Passed after World War II to ensure economic stability, the Act declared it the policy of the federal government to promote maximum employment, production, and purchasing power. It aimed to prevent another depression and manage the postwar economic transition.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
Before this Act, there was no statutory requirement for the federal government to pursue full employment or economic growth. The Act was based on Congress’s powers under the Commerce Clause.

Equal Pay Act of 1963

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (29 U.S.C. § 206(d))

2) Why It Was Done
The Act was passed to address wage disparities between men and women by making it illegal for employers to pay unequal wages for substantially equal work.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) established minimum wage and overtime protections but did not address gender-based wage discrimination. This Act amended the FLSA.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (42 U.S.C. § 2000a et seq.)

2) Why It Was Done
The Act was passed to end segregation in public places and ban employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It was a response to the Civil Rights Movement and entrenched systemic discrimination.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
While the 14th Amendment and earlier Civil Rights Acts (1866, 1875) provided some protections, enforcement was weak and inconsistent. The 1964 Act gave federal government direct authority to enforce civil rights.

Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) (1967)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (29 U.S.C. § 621 et seq.)

2) Why It Was Done
The ADEA was enacted to protect workers aged 40 and older from employment discrimination, addressing widespread workplace bias against older employees.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin—but not age. The ADEA filled this gap in employment protections.

Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) (1970)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (29 U.S.C. § 651 et seq.)

2) Why It Was Done
Enacted to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for employees by authorizing standards, enforcement, and education programs through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
Before 1970, workplace safety laws were minimal and mostly state-based. Rising workplace injuries and fatalities pushed Congress to establish a uniform federal standard.

Rehabilitation Act of 1973

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq.)

2) Why It Was Done
The Act was passed to prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability in programs conducted by federal agencies, programs receiving federal funding, and federal employment. It was the first major U.S. disability rights law.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
Before 1973, no comprehensive protections existed for people with disabilities. The Act expanded civil rights principles to this community, setting the stage for the ADA (1990).

Full Employment and Balanced Growth Act (Humphrey–Hawkins Act, 1978)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (15 U.S.C. §§ 3101–3151)

2) Why It Was Done
Enacted during the economic turmoil of the 1970s (stagflation, high unemployment, and inflation), the Act built on the Employment Act of 1946 by setting explicit goals for reducing unemployment and inflation, while requiring the Federal Reserve to coordinate with Congress.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
The Employment Act of 1946 established a general commitment to economic stability. Humphrey–Hawkins expanded this by imposing numerical targets and mandatory reporting, grounded in Congress’s Commerce Clause powers.

Pregnancy Discrimination Act (1978)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (42 U.S.C. § 2000e(k))

2) Why It Was Done
The Act was passed to amend Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to clarify that discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions constitutes unlawful sex discrimination.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
Before the Act, courts often held that pregnancy discrimination was not covered by Title VII. This law explicitly extended protections to ensure women were not forced out of jobs due to pregnancy.

Drug-Free Workplace Act (1988)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (41 U.S.C. § 8101 et seq.)

2) Why It Was Done
The Act was passed to require federal contractors and grantees to maintain drug-free workplaces as a condition of receiving federal funding, part of the broader “War on Drugs.”

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
Prior federal laws regulated controlled substances but did not impose workplace drug-free requirements tied to federal contracts or grants. This Act created that obligation.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (1990)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.)

2) Why It Was Done
The ADA was passed to eliminate discrimination against individuals with disabilities and ensure equal opportunity in employment, government services, public accommodations, and telecommunications.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibited disability discrimination in federally funded programs, but not in private employment or public accommodations. The ADA expanded protections to cover nearly all aspects of daily life.

Civil Rights Act of 1991

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (Public Law 102–166)

2) Why It Was Done
The Act was passed to strengthen and expand federal civil rights laws, particularly in response to Supreme Court decisions that had narrowed protections against employment discrimination under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 established foundational protections. However, Supreme Court rulings in the 1980s (e.g., Wards Cove Packing Co. v. Atonio, 1989) limited plaintiffs’ ability to prove discrimination, prompting congressional action.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) (1993)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (29 U.S.C. § 2601 et seq.)

2) Why It Was Done
Congress enacted FMLA to provide eligible employees with job-protected, unpaid leave for family and medical reasons, recognizing the need to balance work demands with family responsibilities.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
Before FMLA, there was no federal requirement for family or medical leave. Some states and employers had policies, but coverage was inconsistent and limited.

Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) (1994)

1) Link to the Text of the Act / Regs

• U.S. Code (38 U.S.C. §§ 4301–4335):
  Read the statute
• eCFR (20 C.F.R. part 1002):
  Read the regulations
• DOL VETS USERRA resources:
  Official guidance

2) Why It Was Done
To ensure people who leave civilian jobs for uniformed service can return to work with the same status, pay, and seniority they would have attained, and to prohibit discrimination or retaliation based on service obligations.

Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA, 2008)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (Public Law 110–325)

2) Why It Was Done
The ADAAA was enacted to restore the broad protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 after a series of Supreme Court decisions had narrowed the definition of “disability.”

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
The original ADA protected individuals with disabilities, but rulings such as Sutton v. United Airlines (1999) and Toyota v. Williams (2002) excluded many with chronic illnesses or controlled conditions. The ADAAA explicitly rejected these rulings.

Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) (2008)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (42 U.S.C. § 2000ff et seq.)

2) Why It Was Done
GINA was passed to prohibit discrimination in health coverage and employment based on genetic information, addressing concerns raised by advances in genetic testing and research.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
Prior laws such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA, 1996) offered some protections but did not specifically cover genetic data. GINA filled this gap.

Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA, 2020)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (Public Law 116–127)

2) Why It Was Done
The FFCRA was enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to provide emergency paid sick leave, expanded family and medical leave, and free COVID-19 testing, while also funding nutrition assistance and unemployment programs.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA, 1993) provided unpaid job-protected leave, but did not cover pandemics or paid leave. FFCRA temporarily filled these gaps.