Video: 'From the archives: Lyndon B. Johnson signs Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law'

(Thursday, July 2, 1964, 6:45 p.m. EDT; during the Civil rights movement) — U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the strongest civil rights law (known as the Civil Rights Act of 1964) in almost a century tonight, just three hours after Congress approved it amid cheers, and called on Americans to eliminate the last vestiges of injustice in America.

In a historic ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Johnson pledged himself to the faithful execution of the statute and announced immediate steps to ensure its enforcement.

Johnson delivered a conciliatory statement to the nation, via radio and television, and to more than 200 lawmakers, civil rights leaders, and government officials who were present and had helped bring the sweeping legislation to enactment.

“We have come now to a kind of testing,” Johnson said slowly and solemnly. “We must not fail.”

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“Let us close the springs of racial poison. Let us pray for wise and understanding hearts. Let us lay aside irrelevant differences and make our nation whole. Let us hasten that day when our unmeasured strength and our unbounded spirit will be free to do the great works ordained for this nation by the just and wise God who is the Father of all.”

Dignitaries clustered around him, each claiming one of the 72 pens with which he signed the bill.

The measure was delivered from the Capitol with extraordinary speed after a 289-126 House vote ended a long and bitter congressional debate.

Of the 126 against, 91 were Democrats (88 from the Deep South) and 35 were Republicans.

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President Johnson appealed for voluntary compliance and predicted it would be forthcoming, as he believes most Americans are law-abiding citizens who want to do what is right.

All provisions of the bill go into effect immediately except for the section barring discrimination in employment. That equal opportunities section takes effect in one year.

In what was clearly an effort to calm the indignation of many Southerners and refute the objections of those who have denounced the measure as an invasion of states’ rights, Johnson told the country, “It provides for the national authority to step in only when others cannot and will not do the job.”

“I urge every public official, every religious leader, every business and professional man, every working man, every housewife—I urge every American to join in this effort to bring justice and hope to all our people and peace to our land.”