jan 1, 1964 - Civil Rights Act

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As the culmination of the Civil Rights Movement, the Civil Rights Act prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Many white townspeople saw the Civil Rights Movement as propaganda that lacked a realistic goal. They refuted the claim that African Americans were denied basic rights and claimed that sit-ins, along with other demonstrations, were vigorously abusing said rights. The goal for the Civil Rights Movement was for African Americans to obtain the same opportunities as their white counterparts. They wanted access to better education, jobs, housing, etc., and due to discriminatory laws they were barred from these opportunities.

In Westfield “...Negro leaders find that their appeals at the bargaining table are met with arrogance, indifference and procrastination by alleged "concerned" and sympathetic elected officials, of which the town of Westfield Is a shining example.” Through boycotts, sit-ins, and other non-violent demonstrations, African Americans were able to exercise and obtain certain rights that had been denied to them by a majority.

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