Preisdient Obama marks 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

President and Mrs. Obama with
 Congressman John Lewis at the LBJ Library

50 Years Later, Obama Salutes Passage of Civil Rights Act - NYTimes.com: 
by Peter Baker"AUSTIN, Tex. — President Obama on Thursday paid tribute to the Civil Rights Act a half century after its passage transformed American society and ultimately paved the way for the day when the United States might have an African-American man serve in the Oval Office. In a much-anticipated speech at the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library and Museum marking the 50th anniversary of the landmark law, Mr. Obama said the push for equality and liberty had opened doors of opportunity for millions of Americans. “They swung open for you and they swung open for me,” he said. “That’s why I’m standing here today.”"