View source for Department of Justice Civil Rights Division

{{short description|Federal institution}}
{{Infobox Government agency
| agency_name       = United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division
| type            = Division
| abbreviation      = 
| logo              = 
| logo_width        = 140px
| logo_caption      = 
| seal            = File:Seal_of_the_United_States_Department_of_Justice.svg
| seal_width      = 160px
| seal_caption    = Seal of the United States Department of Justice
| formed            = {{Start date|1957|12|9}}
| preceding1        =
| jurisdiction      = [[Federal government of the United States|United States government]] agency
| headquarters = [[Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building]]<br>950 [[Pennsylvania Avenue (Washington, D.C.)|Pennsylvania Avenue]] [[Northwest, Washington, D.C.|NW]]<br>[[Washington, D.C.]], United States
| latd              =
| longd             =
| region_code       =
| employees         = 
| budget            = $162 million (2015)<ref>[https://www.justice.gov/jmd/2015summary/pdf/ba.pdf 2015 Department of Justice Budget Authority by Appropriation], United States Department of Justice, {{Retrieved|access-date=22 December 2015}}</ref>
| parent_department = [[United States Department of Justice|U.S. Department of Justice]]
| chief1_name       = [[Kristen Clarke]]
| chief1_position   = [[United States Assistant Attorney General|Assistant Attorney General]]
| chief2_name       = [[Pamela S. Karlan]]
| chief2_position   = Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General
| website           = {{Official URL}}
|chief3_name=|chief3_position=|chief4_name=|chief4_position=|chief5_name=|chief5_position=|chief6_name=|chief6_position=|chief7_name=|chief7_position=|chief8_name=|chief8_position=|chief9_name=|chief9_position=}}

The Civil Rights Division of the [[United States Department of Justice]] enforces federal statutes prohibiting [[discrimination]] on the basis of [[racism|race]], [[sexism|sex]], disability, [[religious intolerance|religion]], and national origin.

The division was established on December 9, 1957, by order of Attorney General [[William P. Rogers]], after the [[Civil Rights Act of 1957]] created the head office of [[United States Assistant Attorney General|Assistant Attorney General]] for Civil Rights (AAG-CR; appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate).
In 2021, [[Kristen Clarke]] became the first woman confirmed to the position.

==Organization==
* Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights
 Appellate Section
 Coordination and Review Section 
 Criminal Section 
 Disability Rights Section 
 Educational Opportunities Section 
 Employment Litigation Section 
 Housing and Civil Enforcement Section 
 Immigrant and Employee Rights Section<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/crt/overview-immigrant-and-employee-rights-section|title=Overview Of The Immigrant and Employee Rights Section|date=2015-08-06|website=justice.gov|language=en|access-date=2019-05-31}}</ref>
 Policy & Strategy Section
 Special Litigation Section 
 Voting Section

==Jurisdiction==
The Division enforces

* the Civil Rights Acts of [[Civil Rights Act of 1957|1957]], [[Civil Rights Act of 1960|1960]], [[Civil Rights Act of 1964|1964]], and [[Civil Rights Act of 1968|1968]]
* the [[Voting Rights Act of 1965]], as amended through 2006
* the [[Equal Credit Opportunity Act]] of 1974
* the [[Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990]]
* the [[National Voter Registration Act of 1993]]
* the [[Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act]] of 2009
* the [[Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act]] of 1986
* the [[Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act]] of 1984
* the [[Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act]] of 1980, which authorizes the Attorney General to seek relief for persons confined in public institutions where conditions exist that deprive residents of their constitutional rights
* the [[Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act]] of 1994
* the Police Misconduct Provision of the [[Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act]] of 1994
* the [[Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act]] of 2000
* the [[Religious Freedom Restoration Act]] of 1993
* Section 102 of the [[Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986]] (IRCA), as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of national origin and citizenship status as well as document abuse and retaliation under the [[Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952|Immigration and Nationality Act]] of 1952.

In addition, the Division prosecutes actions under several criminal civil rights statutes which were designed to preserve personal liberties and safety.

==Assistant Attorneys General==
[[File:Drew S. Days, III.jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[Drew S. Days III]] was the first African-American Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.]]
:''{{color box|#FFFF99| }} denotes head that served as acting Assistant Attorney General''
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!bgcolor="#e3e3e3"|#
!bgcolor="#e3e3e3"|Head
!bgcolor="#e3e3e3"|Took office
!bgcolor="#e3e3e3"|Left office
!bgcolor="#e3e3e3"|Party
!bgcolor="#e3e3e3"|Administration
!bgcolor="#e3e3e3" class="unsortable"|{{Tooltip|Ref.|References}}
|-
|align="center"|{{Ntsh|1}}1
|{{sortname|W. Wilson|White|W. Wilson White}}
|align="center"|1957
|align="center"|1960
|{{party shading/Republican}}|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{sort|Eisenhower|[[Presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower|Dwight D. Eisenhower]]}}
|align="center"|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/crt/speeches/historical_perspective.pdf |title=The Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division: A Historical Perspective as the Division Nears 50, Remarks by Wan Kim, Mar. 22, 2006}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|{{Ntsh|2}}2
|{{sortname|Harold R.|Tyler}}
|align="center"|1960
|align="center"|1961
|{{party shading/Republican}}|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{sort|Eisenhower|[[Presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower|Dwight D. Eisenhower]]}}
|align="center"|<ref name="Turner">{{cite news|last1=Turner|first1=James P.|title=Used and Abused: The Civil Rights Division|url=http://www.turnerhome.org/jpt/971214-wp-jpt.html|access-date=21 December 2015|newspaper=Washington Post|date=December 14, 1997|page=C01}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|{{Ntsh|3}}3
|{{sortname|Burke|Marshall}}
|align="center"|1961
|align="center"|1965
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|{{sort|Kennedy|[[John F. Kennedy]]}}
|align="center"|<ref name="Turner"/>
|-
|align="center"|{{Ntsh|4}}4
|{{sortname|John|Doar}}
|align="center"|1965
|align="center"|1967
|{{party shading/Republican}}|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{sort|Johnson|Lyndon B. Johnson}}
|align="center"|<ref name="Turner"/><ref>{{Cite news |last=Reed |first=Roy |date=2014-11-11 |title=John Doar, Federal Lawyer on Front Lines Against Segregation, Dies at 92 |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/12/us/john-doar-federal-lawyer-in-battle-against-segregation-dies-at-92.html |access-date=2023-10-08 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|{{Ntsh|5}}5
|{{sortname|Stephen J.|Pollak}}
|align="center"|1967
|align="center"|1969
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|{{sort|Johnson|Lyndon B. Johnson}}
|align="center"|<ref name="Turner"/>
|-
|align="center"|{{Ntsh|6}}6
|{{sortname|Jerris|Leonard}}
|align="center"|1969
|align="center"|1971
|{{party shading/Republican}}|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{sort|Nixon|[[Presidency of Richard Nixon|Richard Nixon]]}}
|align="center"|<ref name="Turner"/>
|-
|align="center"|{{Ntsh|7}}7
|{{sortname|David Luke|Norman}}
|align="center"|1971
|align="center"|1973
|{{party shading/Republican}}|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{sort|Nixon|[[Presidency of Richard Nixon|Richard Nixon]]}}
|align="center"|<ref name="Turner"/>
|-
|align="center"|{{Ntsh|8}}8
|{{sortname|J. Stanley|Pottinger|John Stanley Pottinger}}
|align="center"|1973
|align="center"|1977
|{{party shading/Republican}}|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{sort|Nixon|[[Presidency of Richard Nixon|Richard Nixon]]}}
|align="center"|<ref name="Turner"/>
|-
|align="center"|{{Ntsh|9}}9
|{{sortname|Drew S.|Days|Drew S. Days III}}
|align="center"|1977
|align="center"|1980
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|{{sort|Carter|[[Jimmy Carter]]}}
|align="center"|<ref name="Turner"/>
|-
|align="center"|{{Ntsh|10}}10
|{{sortname|William Bradford|Reynolds}}
|align="center"|1981
|align="center"|1988
|{{party shading/Republican}}|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{sort|Reagan|[[Presidency of Ronald Reagan|Ronald Reagan]]}}
|align="center"|<ref name="Turner"/><ref>{{cite news|last1=Garcia|first1=Philip J.|title=Assistant Attorney General William Bradford Reynolds, the Justice Department's Controversial Civil Rights Chief, Resigned Wednesday Effective Dec. 9|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/11/09/Assistant-Attorney-General-William-Bradford-Reynolds-the-Justice-Departments/2764595054800/|access-date=22 December 2015|agency=United Press International (UPI)|date=November 9, 1988}}</ref>
|-
|bgcolor="#FFFF99" align="center"|{{Ntsh|11}}–
|bgcolor="#FFFF99"|{{sortname|William C.|Lucas}} (acting)
|align="center"|1988
|align="center"|1989
|{{party shading/Republican}}|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{sort|Reagan|[[Presidency of Ronald Reagan|Ronald Reagan]]}}
|align="center"|
|-
|bgcolor="#FFFF99" align="center"|{{Ntsh|12}}–
|bgcolor="#FFFF99"|{{sortname|James P.|Turner}} (acting)
|align="center"|1989
|align="center"|1990
|{{party shading/Republican}}|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{sort|Reagan|[[Presidency of Ronald Reagan|Ronald Reagan]]}}
|align="center"|
|-
|align="center"|{{Ntsh|13}}11
|{{sortname|John R.|Dunne}}
|align="center"|1990
|align="center"|1993
|{{party shading/Republican}}|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{sort|Bush H|[[George H. W. Bush]]}}
|align="center"|<ref name="Turner"/>
|-
|bgcolor="#FFFF99" align="center"|{{Ntsh|14}}–
|bgcolor="#FFFF99"|{{sortname|James P.|Turner}} (acting)
|align="center"|1993
|align="center"|1994
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|{{sort|Clinton|[[Presidency of Bill Clinton|Bill Clinton]]}}
|align="center"|
|-
|align="center"|{{Ntsh|15}}12
|{{sortname|Deval|Patrick}}
|align="center"|1994
|align="center"|1997
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|{{sort|Clinton|[[Presidency of Bill Clinton|Bill Clinton]]}}
|align="center"|<ref name="Turner"/>
|-
|align="center"|{{Ntsh|16}}13
|{{sortname|Bill Lann|Lee}}
|align="center"|1997
|align="center"|2001
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|{{sort|Clinton|[[Presidency of Bill Clinton|Bill Clinton]]}}
|align="center"|<ref>{{cite news|last1=Marquis|first1=Christopher|title=Clinton Sidesteps Senate to Fill Civil Rights Enforcement Job|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/08/04/us/clinton-sidesteps-senate-to-fill-civil-rights-enforcement-job.html|access-date=21 December 2015|work=New York Times|date=August 4, 2000}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|{{Ntsh|17}}14
|{{sortname|Ralph F.|Boyd|Ralph F. Boyd Jr.}}
|align="center"|2001
|align="center"|2003
|{{party shading/Republican}}|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{sort|Bush W|[[Presidency of George W. Bush|George W. Bush]]}}
|align="center"|
|-
|bgcolor="#FFFF99" align="center"|{{Ntsh|18}}–
|bgcolor="#FFFF99"|{{sortname|Bradley|Schlozman}} (acting)
|align="center"|2003
|align="center"|2003
|{{party shading/Republican}}|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{sort|Bush W|[[Presidency of George W. Bush|George W. Bush]]}}
|align="center"|
|-
|align="center"|{{Ntsh|19}}15
|{{sortname|Alexander|Acosta}}
|align="center"|2003
|align="center"|2005
|{{party shading/Republican}}|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{sort|Bush W|[[Presidency of George W. Bush|George W. Bush]]}}
|align="center"|
|-
|align="center"|{{Ntsh|20}}16
|{{sortname|Wan J.|Kim}}
|align="center"|2005
|align="center"|2007
|{{party shading/Republican}}|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{sort|Bush W|[[Presidency of George W. Bush|George W. Bush]]}}
|align="center"|
|-
|bgcolor="#FFFF99" align="center"|{{Ntsh|21}}–
|bgcolor="#FFFF99"|{{sortname|Grace Chung|Becker}} (acting)
|align="center"|2008
|align="center"|2008
|{{party shading/Republican}}|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{sort|Bush W|[[Presidency of George W. Bush|George W. Bush]]}}
|align="center"|
|-
|align="center"|{{Ntsh|22}}17
|{{sortname|Thomas|Perez}}
|align="center"|2009
|align="center"|2013
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|{{sort|Obama|[[Presidency of Barack Obama|Barack Obama]]}}
|align="center"|<ref name=":0">{{cite web|title=Meet the AAG Banner|url=https://www.justice.gov/crt/meet-aag-banner|website=The United States Department of Justice|date=6 August 2015 |access-date=22 December 2015}}</ref>
|-
|bgcolor="#FFFF99" align="center"|{{Ntsh|23}}–
|bgcolor="#FFFF99"|{{sortname|Jocelyn|Samuels}} (acting)
|align="center"|2013
|align="center"|2014
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|{{sort|Obama|[[Presidency of Barack Obama|Barack Obama]]}}
|align="center"|
|-
|bgcolor="#FFFF99" align="center"|{{Ntsh|24}}–
|bgcolor="#FFFF99"|{{sortname|Molly J.|Moran}} (acting)
|align="center"|2014
|align="center"|2014
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|{{sort|Obama|[[Presidency of Barack Obama|Barack Obama]]}}
|align="center"|
|-
|bgcolor="#FFFF99" align="center"|{{Ntsh|25}}–
|bgcolor="#FFFF99"|{{sortname|Vanita|Gupta}} (acting)
|align="center"|2014
|align="center"|2017
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|{{sort|Obama|[[Presidency of Barack Obama|Barack Obama]]}}
|align="center"|<ref>{{cite web|title=Attorney General Holder Announces Vanita Gupta to Serve as Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division|url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-holder-announces-vanita-gupta-serve-acting-assistant-attorney-general-civil|website=The United States Department of Justice|access-date=22 December 2015|date=October 15, 2014}}</ref>
|-
|bgcolor="#FFFF99" align="center"|{{Ntsh|26}}–
|bgcolor="#FFFF99"|{{sortname|Thomas E.|Wheeler II}} (acting)
|align="center"|2017
|align="center"|2017
|{{party shading/Republican}}|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{sort|Trump|[[First presidency of Donald Trump|Donald Trump]]}}
|align="center"|<ref>{{Cite web|title=Here's Who Is Running The Justice Department Right Now|last=Tillman|first=Zoe|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/zoetillman/heres-who-is-running-the-justice-department-right-now|access-date=27 January 2017 | work=BuzzFeed News | date=January 24, 2017}}</ref>
|-
|bgcolor="#FFFF99" align="center"|{{Ntsh|26}}–
|bgcolor="#FFFF99"|{{sortname|John M.|Gore}} (acting)
|align="center"|2017
|align="center"|2018
|{{party shading/Republican}}|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{sort|Trump|[[First presidency of Donald Trump|Donald Trump]]}}
|align="center"|<ref>{{Cite web|title=United States Department Of Justice Civil Rights Division|url=https://www.justice.gov/crt|access-date=28 July 2017|date=July 28, 2017}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|{{Ntsh|27}}18
|{{sortname|Eric|Dreiband}}
|align="center"|2018
|align="center"|2021
|{{party shading/Republican}}|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{sort|Trump|[[First presidency of Donald Trump|Donald Trump]]}}
|align="center"|<ref name="Dreiband">{{Cite web|date=2021-01-07|title=Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband Announces Departure from Civil Rights Division|url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/assistant-attorney-general-eric-dreiband-announces-departure-civil-rights-division|access-date=2021-02-28|website=www.justice.gov|language=en}}</ref>
|-
|align="center"|{{Ntsh|28}}19
|[[Kristen Clarke]]
|align="center"|2021
|align="center"|''-'' 
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|[[Joe Biden]]
|
|}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
* {{official|https://www.justice.gov/crt}}

{{DOJ agencies}}
{{Dwight D. Eisenhower}}
{{Voting rights in the United States}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Civil rights movement]]
[[Category:Civil rights organizations in the United States]]
[[Category:Human rights enforcement agencies in the United States]]
[[Category:Government agencies established in 1957]]
[[Category:United States Department of Justice agencies|Civil Rights Division]]
[[Category:United States assistant attorneys general for the Civil Rights Division| ]]