WASHINGTON, July 3, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:
LIBERTY AND JUSTICE
Profile America — Friday, July 3rd. Befitting the eve of the nation's celebration of freedom, one of the most important pieces of legislation in our history became law this week in 1964. The Civil Rights Act swept away Jim Crow laws by prohibiting discrimination based on race in all accommodations and facilities open to the public, as well as employment, union membership, and voter registration. Shortly after the Civil Rights Act became law, nearly 42 percent of blacks lived in poverty. Today, that figure is just over 27 percent. In 1964, less than 20 percent of African-American adults had a high school diploma. Now, about 84 percent of blacks over the age of 25 have at least a high school diploma, and over 19 percent have bachelor's degrees or higher. You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau online at www.census.gov.
Sources:
Civil Rights Act: http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=97
1960's poverty and education:
Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970, p. 380
Current statistics: http://www.census.gov/newsroom/facts-for-features/2015/cb15-ff01.html
Profile America is produced by the Center for New Media and Promotions of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).
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SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau
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