On April 11, 1968, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which was a follow-up to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The 1968 Act prohibited discrimination concerning the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin, sex, (and as later amended) handicap and family status. Title VIII of the Act is also known as the Fair Housing Act (FHA).

During the two years leading up the FHA’s enactment, Congress regularly considered the fair housing bill, but failed to garner a strong enough majority for its passage. But when the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, President Johnson utilized this national tragedy to urge for the bill's speedy Congressional approval. Since the 1966 open housing marches in Chicago, Dr. King's name had been closely associated with the fair housing legislation. President Johnson viewed the Act as a fitting memorial to the man's life work, and wished to have the Act passed prior to Dr. King's funeral in Atlanta.

After the House of Representatives passed the Fair Housing Act, the Senate did the same, without debate, and President Johnson then signed it into law. HUD, housing organizations, and schools have marked its passage by focusing on fair housing education every April, national Fair Housing Month.

This year, the Coach marks Fair Housing Month by taking a break from our usual lesson to test your knowledge of federal fair housing law. The quiz in our April issue covers basics under the FHA. Based on your answers, you’ll be able to identify any potential problem areas that might merit some further attention or training. You can then browse our website for lessons on the topics you or your staff should brush up on.