 The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is considered one of the most important pieces of legislation ever to become law in this country. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. And it never would have been possible without thousands of black activists like Elaine Lee Turner. She and her sisters attended marches and sit-ins at libraries and lunch counters. Together, members of her family were arrested nearly 20 times during the Civil Rights era.