What is the Civil Rights Act of 1957?
The Civil Rights Act of 1957 was the first piece of civil rights legislation passed by Congress since the Reconstruction era. Despite southern resistance to the bill, including a fierce 24-hour filibuster attempt by South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond, Congress passed the bill and it was signed into law by President Dwight Eisenhower on September 9, 1957. It also established the United States Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR) and the Civil Rights Division within the Justice Department.
