Definition of "Discrimination"

Unequal treatment and denial of opportunity to individuals based on race, color, creed, nationality, age, or sex. The Civil Rights Acts passed by the U.S. Congress included those of 1866, 1870, 1871, 1875, 1964, and 1968. The first two acts gave blacks the rights to be treated as citizens in legal actions, particularly to sue and be sued and to own property. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited discrimination in employment and established the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. This landmark legislation also banned discrimination in public accommodations connected with interstate commerce, including restaurants, hotels, and theaters. The Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968, included as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, prohibited discrimination in the sale or rental of residential housing. See also affirmative action: civil rights laws.

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