In this photograph, taken by O. J. Rapp on July 2, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson delivers a televised address to the nation prior to signing into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The bill prohibited job discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, or national origin, ended segregation in public places, and the unequal application of voting requirements. In attendance at the ceremony were members of Congress and civil rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rep. Peter Rodino of New Jersey.

This photograph of President John F. Kennedy meeting with civil rights leaders was taken by Warren K. Leffler on August 28, 1963. The leaders met with President Kennedy and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson after participating in the March for Jobs and Freedom. This photograph shows (left to right): Mathew H. Ahmann, National Catholic Conference for Interracial Justice; Whitney M. Young, National Urban League; Martin Luther King, Jr., Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC); John Lewis, chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and future congressman for Georgia's 5th District; Rabbi Joachim Prinz, American Jewish Congress; Reverend Eugene Carson Blake, United Presbyterian Church; A. Philip Randolph, AFL-CIO; President John F. Kennedy; Walter Reuther, of the United Auto Workers, with Vice President Johnson partially visible behind him; and Roy Wilkins (NAACP). Secretary of Labor Willard Wirtz and Floyd B. McKissick of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) were also present but are not shown.

In this photograph, taken in the Oval Office on January 18, 1964 by Yoichi R. Okamoto, President Lyndon B. Johnson meets with a group of civil rights leaders. Among the group are the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (left), Whitney M. Young, Jr. of the National Urban League (right), and James Farmer of the Congress of Racial Equality (far right).

In this photograph, taken by Yoichi R. Okamoto on August 6, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in the President's Room of the Capitol building while Civil Rights leaders including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. look on. The Voting Rights Act was designed to the "enforce the 15th amendment" and remove the barriers that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote. The statue's provisions included: banning literacy tests, empowering the attorney general to investigate the unlawful use of poll taxes, and made the act of harassing, intimidating, threatening to prevent a lawfully registered voter from voting punishable by a fine of up $10,000, a five-year prison sentence or both. The legislation also allowed for the appointment of federal examiners with the ability to register qualified citizens to vote in jurisdictions where less than 50 percent of the voting age population was registered to vote. This legislation had a tremendous and immediate impact with over a quarter-million African Americans registered to vote by the end of 1965.

This photograph of President Lyndon B. Johnson meeting in the Cabinet Room was taken by James P. Blair on April 28, 1966. President Johnson met that day with Civil Rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and members of Congress and his Cabinet to discuss and sign his Special Message to the Congress Proposing Further Legislation To Strengthen Civil Rights. Johnson's Special Message called for the enactment of federal law prohibiting housing discrimination. Johnson would go on to send a Special Message to Congress every year until the April 11, 1968 signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which afforded equal housing opportunities regardless of race, religion, or national origin. From left to right are: Floyd B. McKissick, national director of the Congress of Racial Equality; Dr. King; Rep. Emanuel Celler of New York; President Johnson; Roy Wilkins, executive director of the NAACP; and Civil Rights and union leader A. Philip Randolph.

This photograph of President Lyndon B. Johnson meeting in the Cabinet Room was taken by James P. Blair on April 28, 1966. President Johnson met that day with Civil Rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and members of Congress and his Cabinet to discuss and sign his Special Message to the Congress Proposing Further Legislation To Strengthen Civil Rights. Johnson's Special Message called for the enactment of federal law prohibiting housing discrimination. Johnson would go on to send a Special Message to Congress every year until the April 11, 1968 signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which afforded equal housing opportunities regardless of race, religion, or national origin. From left to right are: Attorney General Nicholas deB. Katzenbach; Floyd B. McKissick, national director of the Congress of Racial Equality; Dr. King; Rep. Emanuel Celler of New York; President Johnson; Roy Wilkins, executive director of the NAACP; and Civil Rights and union leader A. Philip Randolph.

This photograph of President Lyndon B. Johnson meeting in the Cabinet Room was taken by James P. Blair on April 28, 1966. President Johnson met that day with Civil Rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and members of Congress and his Cabinet to discuss and sign his Special Message to the Congress Proposing Further Legislation To Strengthen Civil Rights. Johnson's Special Message called for the enactment of federal law prohibiting housing discrimination. Johnson would go on to send a Special Message to Congress every year until the April 11, 1968 signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which afforded equal housing opportunities regardless of race, religion, or national origin. From left to right are: Floyd B. McKissick, national director of the Congress of Racial Equality; Dr. King; Rep. Emanuel Celler of New York; President Johnson; Roy Wilkins, executive director of the NAACP; Civil Rights and union leader A. Philip Randolph; and Dorothy Height, president of the National Council of Negro Women.

This photograph of President Lyndon B. Johnson meeting in the Cabinet Room was taken by James P. Blair on April 28, 1966. President Johnson met that day with Civil Rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and members of Congress and his Cabinet to discuss and sign his Special Message to the Congress Proposing Further Legislation To Strengthen Civil Rights. Johnson's Special Message called for the enactment of federal law prohibiting housing discrimination. Johnson would go on to send a Special Message to Congress every year until the April 11, 1968 signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which afforded equal housing opportunities regardless of race, religion, or national origin. From left to right are: Attorney General Nicholas deB. Katzenbach; Floyd B. McKissick, national director of the Congress of Racial Equality; Dr. King; Rep. Emanuel Celler of New York; President Johnson; Roy Wilkins, executive director of the NAACP; and Civil Rights and union leader A. Philip Randolph.

This photograph of President Lyndon B. Johnson meeting in the Cabinet Room was taken by James P. Blair on April 28, 1966. President Johnson met that day with Civil Rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and members of Congress and his Cabinet to discuss and sign his Special Message to the Congress Proposing Further Legislation To Strengthen Civil Rights. Johnson's Special Message called for the enactment of federal law prohibiting housing discrimination. Johnson would go on to send a Special Message to Congress every year until the April 11, 1968 signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which afforded equal housing opportunities regardless of race, religion, or national origin. From left to right are: Attorney General Nicholas deB. Katzenbach; Floyd B. McKissick, national director of the Congress of Racial Equality; Dr. King; Rep. Emanuel Celler of New York; President Johnson; Roy Wilkins, executive director of the NAACP; and Civil Rights and union leader A. Philip Randolph.

This photograph of President Lyndon B. Johnson meeting in the Cabinet Room was taken by James P. Blair on April 28, 1966. President Johnson met that day with Civil Rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and members of Congress and his Cabinet to discuss and sign his Special Message to the Congress Proposing Further Legislation To Strengthen Civil Rights. Johnson's Special Message called for the enactment of federal law prohibiting housing discrimination. Johnson would go on to send a Special Message to Congress every year until the April 11, 1968 signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which afforded equal housing opportunities regardless of race, religion, or national origin. From left to right are: Floyd B. McKissick, national director of the Congress of Racial Equality; Dr. King; Rep. Emanuel Celler of New York; President Johnson; Roy Wilkins, executive director of the NAACP; Civil Rights and union leader A. Philip Randolph; and Dorothy Height, president of the National Council of Negro Women.

This photograph of President Lyndon B. Johnson meeting in the Cabinet Room was taken by James P. Blair on April 28, 1966. President Johnson met that day with Civil Rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and members of Congress and his Cabinet to discuss and sign his Special Message to the Congress Proposing Further Legislation To Strengthen Civil Rights. Johnson's Special Message called for the enactment of federal law prohibiting housing discrimination. Johnson would go on to send a Special Message to Congress every year until the April 11, 1968 signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which afforded equal housing opportunities regardless of race, religion, or national origin. Seated from left to right are: Andrew J. Biemiller of the AFL-CIO; Attorney General Nicholas deB. Katzenbach; Floyd B. McKissick, national director of the Congress of Racial Equality; Dr. King; Rep. Emanuel Celler of New York; President Johnson; and Roy Wilkins, executive director of the NAACP.

This photograph of President Lyndon B. Johnson meeting in the Cabinet Room was taken by James P. Blair on April 28, 1966. President Johnson met that day with Civil Rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and members of Congress and his Cabinet to discuss and sign his Special Message to the Congress Proposing Further Legislation To Strengthen Civil Rights. Johnson's Special Message called for the enactment of federal law prohibiting housing discrimination. Johnson would go on to send a Special Message to Congress every year until the April 11, 1968 signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which afforded equal housing opportunities regardless of race, religion, or national origin. From left to right are: Dr. King; Rep. Emanuel Celler of New York; President Johnson; Roy Wilkins, executive director of the NAACP; and Civil Rights and union leader A. Philip Randolph.

This photograph of President Lyndon B. Johnson meeting in the Cabinet Room was taken by James P. Blair on April 28, 1966. President Johnson met that day with Civil Rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and members of Congress and his Cabinet to discuss and sign his Special Message to the Congress Proposing Further Legislation To Strengthen Civil Rights. Johnson's Special Message called for the enactment of federal law prohibiting housing discrimination. Johnson would go on to send a Special Message to Congress every year until the April 11, 1968 signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which afforded equal housing opportunities regardless of race, religion, or national origin. From left to right are: Dr. King; Rep. Emanuel Celler of New York; President Johnson; Roy Wilkins, executive director of the NAACP; and Civil Rights and union leader A. Philip Randolph.

This photograph of President Lyndon B. Johnson meeting in the Cabinet Room was taken by James P. Blair on April 28, 1966. President Johnson met that day with Civil Rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and members of Congress and his Cabinet to discuss and sign his Special Message to the Congress Proposing Further Legislation To Strengthen Civil Rights. Johnson's Special Message called for the enactment of federal law prohibiting housing discrimination. Johnson would go on to send a Special Message to Congress every year until the April 11, 1968 signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which afforded equal housing opportunities regardless of race, religion, or national origin. From left to right are: Dr. King; Rep. Emanuel Celler of New York; President Johnson; Roy Wilkins, executive director of the NAACP; and Civil Rights and union leader A. Philip Randolph.

This photograph of President Lyndon B. Johnson meeting in the Cabinet Room was taken by James P. Blair on April 28, 1966. President Johnson met that day with Civil Rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and members of Congress and his Cabinet to discuss and sign his Special Message to the Congress Proposing Further Legislation To Strengthen Civil Rights. Johnson's Special Message called for the enactment of federal law prohibiting housing discrimination. Johnson would go on to send a Special Message to Congress every year until the April 11, 1968 signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which afforded equal housing opportunities regardless of race, religion, or national origin. Seated from left to right are: Floyd B. McKissick, national director of the Congress of Racial Equality; Dr. King; Rep. Emanuel Celler of New York; President Johnson; and Roy Wilkins, executive director of the NAACP.

This photograph of President Lyndon B. Johnson meeting in the Cabinet Room was taken by James P. Blair on April 28, 1966. President Johnson met that day with Civil Rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and members of Congress and his Cabinet to discuss and sign his Special Message to the Congress Proposing Further Legislation To Strengthen Civil Rights. Johnson's Special Message called for the enactment of federal law prohibiting housing discrimination. Johnson would go on to send a Special Message to Congress every year until the April 11, 1968 signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which afforded equal housing opportunities regardless of race, religion, or national origin. Seated from left to right are: Andrew J. Biemiller of the AFL-CIO; Attorney General Nicholas deB. Katzenbach; Floyd B. McKissick, national director of the Congress of Racial Equality; Dr. King; Rep. Emanuel Celler of New York; President Johnson; and Roy Wilkins, executive director of the NAACP.

This photograph of President Lyndon B. Johnson meeting in the Cabinet Room was taken by James P. Blair on April 28, 1966. President Johnson met that day with Civil Rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and members of Congress and his Cabinet to discuss and sign his Special Message to the Congress Proposing Further Legislation To Strengthen Civil Rights. Johnson's Special Message called for the enactment of federal law prohibiting housing discrimination. Johnson would go on to send a Special Message to Congress every year until the April 11, 1968 signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which afforded equal housing opportunities regardless of race, religion, or national origin. From left to right are: Dr. King; Rep. Emanuel Celler of New York; President Johnson; Roy Wilkins, executive director of the NAACP; and Civil Rights and union leader A. Philip Randolph.

This photograph of President Lyndon B. Johnson meeting in the Cabinet Room was taken by James P. Blair on April 28, 1966. President Johnson met that day with Civil Rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and members of Congress and his Cabinet to discuss and sign his Special Message to the Congress Proposing Further Legislation To Strengthen Civil Rights. Johnson's Special Message called for the enactment of federal law prohibiting housing discrimination. Johnson would go on to send a Special Message to Congress every year until the April 11, 1968 signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which afforded equal housing opportunities regardless of race, religion, or national origin. From left to right are: Attorney General Nicholas deB. Katzenbach; Floyd B. McKissick, national director of the Congress of Racial Equality; Dr. King; Rep. Emanuel Celler of New York; President Johnson; Roy Wilkins, executive director of the NAACP; and Civil Rights and union leader A. Philip Randolph.

This photograph of President Lyndon B. Johnson meeting in the Cabinet Room was taken by James P. Blair on April 28, 1966. President Johnson met that day with Civil Rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and members of Congress and his Cabinet to discuss and sign his Special Message to the Congress Proposing Further Legislation To Strengthen Civil Rights. Johnson's Special Message called for the enactment of federal law prohibiting discrimination based on race, religion, or national origin. Johnson would go on to send a Special Message to Congress every year until the April 11, 1968 signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1968. From left to right are: Attorney General Nicholas deB. Katzenbach; Floyd B. McKissick, national director of the Congress of Racial Equality; Dr. King; Rep. Emanuel Celler of New York; President Johnson; Roy Wilkins, executive director of the NAACP; and Civil Rights and union labor leader A. Philip Randolph.

This photograph of President Lyndon B. Johnson meeting in the Cabinet Room was taken by James P. Blair on April 28, 1966. President Johnson met that day with Civil Rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and members of Congress and his Cabinet to discuss and sign his Special Message to the Congress Proposing Further Legislation To Strengthen Civil Rights. Johnson's Special Message called for the enactment of federal law prohibiting discrimination based on race, religion, or national origin. Johnson would go on to send a Special Message to Congress every year until the April 11, 1968 signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1968. Seated from left to right are: Andrew J. Biemiller of the AFL-CIO; Attorney General Nicholas deB. Katzenbach; Floyd B. McKissick, national director of the Congress of Racial Equality; Dr. King; Rep. Emanuel Celler of New York; President Johnson; Roy Wilkins, executive director of the NAACP; and Civil Rights and union labor leader A. Philip Randolph.

This photograph of President Lyndon B. Johnson meeting in the Cabinet Room was taken by James P. Blair on April 28, 1966. President Johnson met that day with Civil Rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and members of Congress and his Cabinet to discuss and sign his Special Message to the Congress Proposing Further Legislation To Strengthen Civil Rights. Johnson's Special Message called for the enactment of federal law prohibiting discrimination based on race, religion, or national origin. Johnson would go on to send a Special Message to Congress every year until the April 11, 1968 signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1968. Seated from left to right are: Andrew J. Biemiller of the AFL-CIO; Attorney General Nicholas deB. Katzenbach; Floyd B. McKissick, national director of the Congress of Racial Equality; Dr. King; Rep. Emanuel Celler of New York; President Johnson; Roy Wilkins, executive director of the NAACP; and Civil Rights and union labor leader A. Philip Randolph.

This photograph of President Lyndon B. Johnson meeting in the Cabinet Room was taken by James P. Blair on April 28, 1966. President Johnson met that day with Civil Rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and members of Congress and his Cabinet to discuss and sign his Special Message to the Congress Proposing Further Legislation To Strengthen Civil Rights. Johnson's Special Message called for the enactment of federal law prohibiting discrimination based on race, religion, or national origin. Johnson would go on to send a Special Message to Congress every year until the April 11, 1968 signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1968. Seated from left to right are: Andrew J. Biemiller of the AFL-CIO; Attorney General Nicholas deB. Katzenbach; Floyd B. McKissick, national director of the Congress of Racial Equality; Dr. King; Rep. Emanuel Celler of New York; President Johnson; and Roy Wilkins, executive director of the NAACP.

This photograph of President Lyndon B. Johnson meeting in the Cabinet Room was taken by James P. Blair on April 28, 1966. President Johnson met that day with Civil Rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and members of Congress and his Cabinet to discuss and sign his Special Message to the Congress Proposing Further Legislation To Strengthen Civil Rights. Johnson's Special Message called for the enactment of federal law prohibiting discrimination based on race, religion, or national origin. Johnson would go on to send a Special Message to Congress every year until the April 11, 1968 signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1968. From left to right are: Attorney General Nicholas deB. Katzenbach; Floyd B. McKissick, national director of the Congress of Racial Equality; Dr. Martin Luther King; Representative Emanuel Celler of New York; President Lyndon B. Johnson; Roy Wilkins, executive director of the NAACP; and Civil Rights and union labor leader A. Philip Randolph.

This photograph by Abbie Rowe of the National Park Service shows President John F. Kennedy meeting with civil rights leaders in the Oval Office. Present in the photo are: Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson; Secretary of Labor Willard Wirtz; Floyd B. McKissick, Congress of Racial Equality; Mathew H. Ahmann, National Catholic Conference for Interracial Justice; Whitney M. Young, National Urban League; Martin Luther King, Jr.; John Lewis, Chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and future congressman for Georgia's 5th District; Rabbi Joachim Prinz, American Jewish Congress; Eugene Carson Blake, National Council of Churches; A. Philip Randolph, AFL-CIO; Walter Reuther, United Auto Workers; and Roy Wilkins, NAACP.

This photograph shows President John F. Kennedy and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson meeting with members of the civil rights movement and leaders of the March on Washington in the Oval Office. Left to right: Secretary of Labor Willard Wirtz; Martin Luther King, Jr.; Eugene Carson Blake of the National Council of Churches; President Kennedy; Vice President Johnson; and Walter Reuther of the United Auto Workers. Others (not in order): A. Philip Randolph of the AFL-CIO; John Lewis, Chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and future congressman for Georgia's 5th District; Whitney M. Young of the National Urban League; Mathew H. Ahmann of the National Catholic Conference for Interracial Justice; Rabbi Joachim Prinz of the American Jewish Congress; Roy Wilkins of the NAACP; and Floyd B. McKissick of the Congress of Racial Equality.