Public Accommodations

An integral part of the historic context for the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson and “prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin,” this specific theme focuses on the physical separation of the races in public accommodations.  

The idea of “separate but equal” was not just for buildings, it extended outdoors to include public parks and open spaces, swimming pools, and other park amenities. So limiting was this issue of accommodations for African Americans that from 1936 to 1966, “The Negro Motorist Green Book” was published annually to help African American travelers locate safe lodging, restaurants, gas stations, and accommodations.

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