Civil Rights Act to go on display (Photos)

The National Archives put four pages of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 on display for the media Tuesday, June 17, 2014. (WTOP/Nick Iannelli)
The first page of the Civil Rights Act will be on public display. (WTOP/Nick Iannelli)
Visitors can see the first page until Sept. 16. (WTOP/Nick Iannelli)
The National Archives showed four page of the document to the media Tuesday, June 17. (WTOP/Nick Iannelli)
The signature page will be on display. (WTOP/Nick Iannelli)
The National Archives usually keeps the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in a temperature-controlled vault. (WTOP/Nick Iannelli)
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WASHINGTON — Original pages of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 go on display June 18 at the National Archives nearly 50 years after President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the bill into law.

“It is one of the absolute landmark documents in American history,” says National Archives Exhibit Specialist Michael Hussey.

“It is just really kind of breathtaking how much change, at least on paper has been affected by this law.”

The bill ended racial segregation in schools and businesses. It also prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin.

“It is 29 pages long but even just on the first few pages, the changes are sweeping,” Hussey says.

On exhibit will be the first page along with the page signed by Johnson. He signed the act in July 1964.

The entire document is usually kept in a dark, temperature-controlled vault.

Visitors can see the first page until Sept. 16. The signature page is more sensitive to light and will only be on display until July 13.

The National Archives is located at 700 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.

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