Existing comment:
Testing the Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Heart of Atlanta Motel case was a significant test of the newly-minted 1964 Civil Rights Act. It determined whether Title II of the act would have the power to enforce African Americans' access to public accommodations, or if it would falter under the weight of judicial scrutiny. In most parts of the South, African Americans faced pervasive discrimination in public accommodations and were often forced to sleep in automobiles because they could not rent a hotel room. Heart of Atlanta was one motel that refused to rent rooms to African Americans. The court held that Congress has the power to desegregate privately owned public accommodations.
"I agree most emphatically. It sounds like hamburgers are more important than human rights." |