Social Welfare History Project Federal Laws and Actions

History of the Veterans Affairs Caregiver Support Program

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is charged with fulfilling the nation’s promise to care for those who have served in our nation’s military, and for their families, caregivers, and survivors. In fulfillment of one aspect of that promise, the Department has developed and administers a program of caregiver support for caregivers of eligible veterans. The program’s mission is “to promote the health and well-being of family caregivers who care for our Nation’s Veterans, through education, resources, support, and services.” This article presents a history of the programs origins and expansion through 2023.

Shelby County v. Holder (2013)

Shelby County v. Holder (2013) Shelby County v. Holder, 570 U.S. 529 (2013), was a landmark decision of the U. S. Supreme Court regarding the constitutionality of two provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The Voting Rights Act requires certain jurisdictions with a history of racial discrimination in voting to obtain federal…

Immigration and Ethnicity: Documents in United States History

Immigration and Ethnicity: Documents in United States History By Catherine A. Paul January 18, 2018 Chinese Exclusion Act, 1882 The Chinese Exclusion Act was signed into law on May 6, 1882 by President Chester A. Arthur in response to native-born Americans’ belief that unemployment and declining wages were due to Chinese workers. This…

That Work-Relief Bill (1935)

Article by Lester B. Granger, Executive Director, Los Angeles Chapter National Urban League. “Dismay is the first reaction which thoughtful Negroes will register toward this program-not so much because of what it plans, but because of what it fails to plan”

Fugitive Slave Act of 1850

Of all the bills that made up the Compromise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act was the most controversial. It required citizens to assist in the recovery of fugitive slaves. It denied a fugitive’s right to a jury trial. The act called for changes in filing for a claim, making the process easier for slave-owners. Also, according to the act, there would be more federal officials responsible for enforcing the law.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Written by Stephen Jager, independent historian. Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) was the Supreme Court decision that judicially validated state sponsored segregation in public facilities by its creation and endorsement of the “separate but equal” doctrine.

Civil Rights Act of 1875

“Senator Charles Sumner introduced the Civil Rights Act in 1870… The bill guaranteed all citizens, regardless of color, access to accommodations, theatres, public schools, churches, and cemeteries. The bill further forbid the barring of any person from jury service on account of race, and provided that all lawsuits brought under the new law would be tried in federal, not state, courts.”

Voting Rights Act of 1965: an introduction

Voting Rights: An Introduction to Federal Voting Rights Laws Introduction To Federal Voting Rights Laws The Voting Rights Act, adopted initially in 1965 and extended in 1970, 1975, and 1982, is generally considered the most successful piece of civil rights legislation ever adopted by the United States Congress. The Act codifies and effectuates the…

Civil Rights Act of 1964

In the 1960s, Americans who knew only the potential of “equal protection of the laws” expected the president, the Congress, and the courts to fulfill the promise of the 14th Amendment. In response, all three branches of the federal government–as well as the public at large–debated a fundamental constitutional question: Does the Constitution’s prohibition of denying equal protection always ban the use of racial, ethnic, or gender criteria in an attempt to bring social justice and social benefits?

Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938

Written by Jonathan Grossman. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 applied to industries whose combined employment represented only about one-fifth of the labor force. In these industries, it banned oppressive child labor and set the minimum hourly wage at 25 cents, and the maximum workweek at 44 hours.