Tyler History Center celebrates six decades of the nation’s Civil Rights Act

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Tuesday marks the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act. There was a celebration at the Tyler History Center in Youngstown commemorating the landmark law.

On July 2, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act, which outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin.

To celebrate six decades of the historic legislation, the MLK Planning Committee held a commemorative event at the Tyler History Center.

“We didn’t want this day to pass without talking about how important it is, especially now, given everything that’s going on in our nation,” said Jaladah Aslam, a co-convener for the MLK Planning Committee.

At the event, Sojourn to the Past students spoke about what led up to the passage of the law. Those in attendance also watched a short documentary about it.

Aslam says it’s important that people pay attention and learn from history.

“I think that people don’t understand that 60 years ago wasn’t that long ago.”

Aslam recounted a time when she was a young girl with her mother — they were denied service at a downtown Youngstown restaurant.

“There wasn’t a sign that said, ‘No Blacks allowed,’ but they just wouldn’t serve you,” she said.

Now, she says, people take equal rights for granted.

“Here we are, 60 years later. Everyone takes it for granted that we all have these privileges and these rights. What we don’t understand is it was acts of Congress and that those rights could be taken away just like they were given to us.”

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