Howdy, folks! Francis here again for another Francis Friday.
Today in History marks a watershed moment for equality in the United States, and one we’ve often discussed on the show, the signing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964. This one moment codified into law the basic human equalities that had been summarily ignored or worked around in the South since the end of Reconstruction in 1877. Old habits die hard indeed.
LBJ was a flawed man, and himself no doubt a racist as well, as his many words throughout his life made clear. Nevertheless he was the visible instrument of freedom for so many on this day all those many years ago, and as such deserves remembering with honor for at least that.
The fight against racial segregation was not that old when this law was signed into effect, with Brown Vs. Board of Education beginning the process only a decade before in 1954. Many lessons can be learned from this process, not the least of which is that true change comes from the people through the legislative process, and I for one am grateful for that. The American people may be populated with enormous numbers of stupid people (so many of those spending time commenting on the internet for example) but by and large, taken together, we understand truth and goodness when we see it and work to make it a reality for all.
Not that we don’t still have a long way to go by any means.
Check out our most recent discussion of the Civil rights struggle with our episode from this past February . . .
