![A pen with a black plastic grip and a clear plastic body, with [THE PRESIDENT- THE WHITE HOUSE] printed in white ink.](https://www.si.edu/sites/default/files/snapshots/nmaahc-4e89dbe04ee92_5001_civil_rights_act_1964_pen.jpg "Click to view larger image")
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed into law on July 2, 1964. President Lyndon Johnson signed the bill using this pen and over 70 other identical pens that were then gifted to important figures in the Civil Rights Movement.
The road to passage for this bill was long and bumpy. Introduced to Congress by President John F. Kennedy, it had not made progress before his assassination in November 1963. The success or failure of the legislation was left in the hands of then-President Lyndon Johnson. After extensive public hearings and debate, the House of Representatives passed the bill and it moved over to the Senate. There, the longest multi-person filibuster in Congressional history took place, lasting 57 days.
A vital first step in equality for all, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 would require more legislation and years of work to ensure all citizens had equal voting and other core rights.
The pen is on display in the Segregation Gallery at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
