Maria lived in a small town in Texas. She loved to read books and learn new things. But sometimes, she felt left out at school because she spoke Spanish at home.

In her school, some kids thought being Mexican American made Maria different. Maria wanted to feel included—just like everyone else.

You're weird

One day, Maria’s teacher told the class about the Civil Rights Act of 1964. “This law,” she said, “was made to make sure everyone is treated fairly—no matter their race, color, or where they come from.”

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a law that made sure everyone is treated fairly.

Maria learned that a long time ago, people of color had to sit in separate places, go to different schools, and were often treated unfairly. But brave people stood up and said, “That’s not right!”

This is not right!

Mexican Americans, like Maria’s grandparents, worked hard to change things too. They marched, spoke up, and demanded schools and jobs that treated them equally.

      ...

   ... 

  ...

...

...

...

Thanks to the Civil Rights Act, it became illegal to treat someone unfairly because of their background—or the language they spoke. People like Maria could now go to the same schools and sit in the same classrooms as everyone else.