Fair Housing Act (1968)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.)

2) Why It Was Done
Enacted just days after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Act was designed to end discrimination in housing, addressing systemic barriers to home ownership and rental opportunities for minorities.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
While the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited discrimination in public accommodations and employment, it did not cover housing. Housing segregation remained deeply entrenched nationwide.