Wednesday marks the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The act, signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson, made unlawful major forms of discrimination based on color, race, religion, sex or national origin.
The recognition of this anniversary as well as the 60th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education have been the foundation of Michigan State University’s yearlong “Project 60/50” that began in January.
The unique celebration has used these important anniversaries to engage the MSU campus and greater community in a broad range of civil and human rights conversations.
“While there is no denying the progress we’ve made as a country since these two major events occurred, from time to time it is important to assess that progress,” said Paulette Granberry Russell, senior adviser to the president for diversity and director of the Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives. “‘Project 60/50’ provides us the opportunity to engage in conversations on where we stand today in all aspects of civil and human rights, and project into the future as members of a global community.”
The project, coordinated through MSU’s Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives, features four capstone events as well as a multitude of lectures, symposiums, workshops and programs held throughout the year on MSU’s campus.
To learn more about Project 60/50, go here.