A periodical published by the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith described the first half of 1968 as “the most fruitful six-month period in the history of the United States” for the enactment of legislation protecting civil rights. The assessment was made on the basis of a nationwide survey published in “Law,” a magazine edited by Sol Rabkin, director of the ADL’s law department and Paul Hartman, associate director.
The publication noted that developments on the Federal level tended to over-shadow new legislation on the state and local levels, but nevertheless three southern border states adopted anti-discrimination laws and many cities adopted local ordinances against discrimination in housing. The ADL report cited the adoption of a Federal fair housing law as “the most spectacular achievement” of the 1968 Civil Rights Act that provides Federal protection against interference with the exercise of civil rights.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.