Civil Rights Act of 1964, the /ˌsɪv ə l ˌraɪts ækt əv ˌnaɪntiːn sɪksti ˈfɔːʳ/ BrE AmE
a US law which says that businesses must treat people equally whatever their colour or religion, and that they cannot refuse to employ someone because of their colour. This law also says that restaurants and hotels cannot refuse to serve someone because of their colour. During the 1960s many white people, especially in the south, disliked this law and often ignored it. People in the US remember news reports about African Americans going to restaurants which previously only served white people, and that this caused anger among white ↑ racist s and sometimes led to violence.