civil rights

plural noun

: rights that citizens are guaranteed by their government through legislation or other government action to ensure equal opportunities (as for employment, education, housing, or voting) and equal protection under the law regardless of personal characteristics such as race, religion, or sex

especially : the rights of personal liberty guaranteed to U.S. citizens by the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution and by acts of Congress

Note: The 13th Amendment (ratified 1865) abolished slavery and the 14th Amendment (ratified 1868) granted citizenship and equal rights to all people born or naturalized in the U.S., including formerly enslaved people and African Americans generally. The 15th Amendment (ratified 1870) guaranteed the right to vote regardless of color or former enslavement.

compare civil liberty see also civil rights movement

Examples of civil rights in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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Catlett’s civil rights activism stood at the forefront of her diverse practice, which incorporated printmaking, sculpture, collage, and painting, among other media. —

Leilah Babirye, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2025 Critics Call Workers Indentured Servants Governor Gavin Newsom called for a special session of the state legislators to tackle a range of issues, including protecting immigrant families, and safeguarding civil rights, in the face of threats to withhold federal funding. —

Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2024 Amy Sussman/Getty Images and Valeria Macon/AFP via Getty Images Blake Lively's civil rights complaint against Justin Baldoni isn't just dominating headlines. —

Rachel Treisman, NPR, 31 Dec. 2024 And finally, Senate Bill 207 updates the state's civil rights law to reflect the changes to the state's rental regulations. —

Clara Hendrickson, Detroit Free Press, 31 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for civil rights