Political Events in the Western World

Political Events in the Western World


One of the most important political events that occurred around the 1964 Olympics was the assassination of President John F Kennedy on November 22, 1963. This set into action a flurry of political action which started by the appointment of Lyndon Johnson as President John F Kennedy's successor. He followed through on a great deal of the civil rights initiatives started by JFK and was equally, if not more committed to equality for all Americans. In 1964 Johnson faced Congress to attempt to get legislation passed for Civil Rights. After using all manner of political influence including flattery, strategy, threats and charm to aid in his fight, he also used the sympathy of the American people following JFK's assassination to persuade them to support the bill as an homage to his dedication to equality  This important piece of legislation aimed to prevent discrimination based on race and was intended to repeal segregation.  The Civil Rights Act of 1964 also helped to guarantee equality in employment opportunities for all Americans.

http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=97
http://www.crf-usa.org/black-history-month/the-civil-rights-act-of-1964
http://www.lbjlibrary.org/lyndon-baines-johnson/lbj-biography
http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/Civil-Rights-Movement.aspx