The legislation had been proposed by President John F. Kennedy in June 1963 , but opposed by filibuster in the Senate . After Kennedy was assassinated in November 1963 , President Lyndon B. Johnson pushed the bill forward , which in its final form was passed in the U.S. Congress by a Senate vote of 73 – 27 and House vote of 289 – 126 . The Act was signed into law by President Johnson on July 2 , 1964 , at the White House
Kennedy was assassinated
Assassination of John F. Kennedy
Civil Rights Act of 1964