Full Answer Section

These protections apply to various aspects of life, including:

• Voting Rights:Ensures equal access to voting for all citizens.
• Employment:Prohibits discrimination in hiring, promotion, firing, and compensation.
• Public Accommodations:Guarantees equal access to hotels, restaurants, theaters, and other public spaces.
• Education:Ends segregation in public schools and universities.

Provision Invalidating “Separate but Equal” Doctrine:

The specific provision that dismantled the “separate but equal” doctrine is:

• Title IV – Desegregation in Public Schools:This title prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in public schools.

By outlawing racial discrimination in education, the Civil Rights Act rendered the “separate but equal” concept unconstitutional. Separate facilities based on race could never be truly equal, and the Act ensured everyone had access to the same educational opportunities.

Plessy v. Ferguson and its Downfall:

The Plessy v. Ferguson case (1896) upheld the concept of “separate but equal” facilities for whites and blacks. However, this decision was widely criticized for failing to address the inherent inequality of segregated facilities. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 directly challenged this notion and established that separate facilities were inherently unequal.

In conclusion, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, particularly Title IV – Desegregation in Public Schools, directly addressed and invalidated the “separate but equal” doctrine established in Plessy v. Ferguson. This act ensured equal access to education for all citizens regardless of race.