About the Civil Rights Division
President Eisenhower signing the Civil Rights Act of 1957
Photo courtesy of Leadership Conference on Civil Rights/Education Fund (LCCR)
The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, created in 1957 by the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1957, works to uphold the civil and constitutional rights of all Americans, particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society. The Division enforces federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status and national origin.
The Civil Rights Division's work addresses discrimination in education, employment, credit, housing, public accommodations, voting, state and local government programs, and certain federally funded and conducted programs. In addition, the Division prosecutes hate crimes, misconduct by public officials, human trafficking crimes, and criminal interference with those obtaining reproductive health services. The Division also coordinates enforcement efforts of federal agencies whose programs are covered by various civil rights laws, and it assists federal agencies in identifying and removing discriminatory provisions in their policies and programs.
Since its establishment, the Division has grown dramatically in both size and scope, and has played a role in many of the nation’s pivotal civil rights battles. Division attorneys prosecuted the defendants accused of murdering three civil rights workers in Mississippi in 1964, and were involved in the investigations of the assassinations of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Medgar Evers. The Division enforces a wide array of laws that protect the civil rights of all individuals.
The Division is led by Assistant Attorney General Tom Perez. Each Section of the Division is headed by a Section Chief and several Deputy Chiefs and Special Legal or Litigation Counsels. The Division's leadership, Section Chiefs, attorneys, and administrative staff are based in Washington, D.C.
The Division’s work is carried out by 10 sections:
- Appellate Section
- Coordination and Review Section
- Criminal Section
- Disability Rights Section
- Educational Opportunities Section
- Employment Litigation Section
- Housing and Civil Enforcement Section
- Office of Special Counsel for Immigration Related Unfair Employment Practices
- Special Litigation Section
- Voting Section
Updated October 8, 2009
