Dupage Policy Journal

Sen. John Curran remarked, "Though he would not live to see its passage, President John F. Kennedy first proposed his sweeping civil rights legislation." He made this statement in a July 2 Facebook post that shared information about the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture’s display for the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

"Though he would not live to see its passage, President John F. Kennedy first proposed his sweeping civil rights legislation after calling in National Guard troops to accompany the first Black students admitted to the University of Mississippi and University of Alabama in a televised address saying: "This is not a sectional issue," said F Curran, State Senator 41st District, according to Facebook. "Difficulties over segregation and discrimination exist in every city, in every State of the Union, producing in many cities a rising tide of discontent that threatens the public safety. Nor is this a partisan issue. In a time of domestic crisis men of good will and generosity should be able to unite regardless of party or politics."

In Curran’s post, he quoted from President John F. Kennedy’s address on the Civil Rights Act: "This is not a sectional issue. Difficulties over segregation and discrimination exist in every city, in every State of the Union, producing in many cities a rising tide of discontent that threatens the public safety. Nor is this a partisan issue. In a time of domestic crisis men of good will and generosity should be able to unite regardless of party or politics."

Screenshot of Sen. John F. Curran's July 2 Facebook post. | Sen. John Curran Facebook page

The 1964 Civil Rights Act was signed into law on July 2, 1964, by Kennedy’s successor, Lyndon Johnson. According to the National Archives, under the Civil Rights Act, segregation in businesses, employment discrimination, and public segregation in places like swimming pools, public schools, and libraries was outlawed.

Curran’s post continued: "We are confronted primarily with a moral issue. It is as old as the scriptures and is as clear as the American Constitution." He added that it took another year and the bravery, commitment, and labor of countless freedom fighters, politicians, citizens, and organizers for the Civil Rights Act to be passed by Congress and signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in the presence of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. "It remains one of the greatest legislative accomplishments in American history and opened the door to a more inclusive, equitable American future," Curran said.

John Curran has represented the people of the 41st District since 2018 and is currently the Illinois Senate Minority Leader. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Juris Doctorate from Northern Illinois University College of Law. Before joining the Illinois General Assembly, Curran served on the DuPage County Board for three terms. He resides in Downers Grove with his wife and four daughters and works at a boutique law firm focusing on employment law. Additionally, he is a member of the Board of Directors for the Downers Grove Economic Development Corporation.