President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law on this day in history, July 2, 1964 — "the most sweeping civil rights legislation since Reconstruction," as the National Archives notes on its website.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 "prohibited discrimination in public spaces, provided for the integration of schools and other public facilities, and made employment discrimination illegal," according to the Archives.

The passage of the Civil Rights Act was a long time in coming, said the same source.

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On June 6, 1963, then-President John F. Kennedy addressed racial equality in a nationally televised speech. 

Later, Kennedy requested that Congress move forward with legislation "that would address voting rights, public accommodations, school desegregation, nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs and more." 

That request from Kennedy eventually would become the Civil Rights Act of 1964, although he would not get to see it. 

He was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, on Nov. 22, 1963.

After Johnson was sworn in as president, he began working on making Kennedy's dream a reality. 

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The law faced many obstacles in both houses of Congress, said the National Archives. 

In the House of Representatives, opponents of the bill attempted to stymie its process in the Rules Committee. 

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The House of Representatives passed H.R. 7152 on Feb. 10, 1964, sending the bill to the Senate, said the website of the United States Senate.

In an effort to avoid the same committee delays on the Senate side, Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield, D-Montana, bypassed the Senate Judiciary Committee and put the bill on the Senate calendar, according to the Senate's website.

At the time, the chair of the Judiciary Committee was Sen. James Eastland, D-Mississippi, an opponent of civil rights legislation.

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"Mansfield moved to take up the measure on March 9 and it became the Senate's pending business on March 26, prompting southern senators to launch a filibuster," the Senate website notes.

The filibuster and other debate on the bill lasted until June 10, 1964, when cloture was invoked. This came after an impressive amount of bipartisanship.

In late May, Senate Minority Leader Everett Dirksen, R-Illinois, introduced the Dirksen-Mansfield-Kuchel-Humphrey "compromise bill" that both Republican and Democrat members backed.

"Previously an opponent of civil rights legislation, Sen. Dirksen urged Republicans to support the bill as 'an idea whose time has come,'" said the Library of Congress website.

The actions of Republican and Democratic leadership in the Senate was enough to end the months-long filibuster. 

"The Senate filibuster was overcome through the floor leadership of Sen. Hubert Humphrey of Minnesota, the considerable support of President Lyndon Johnson, and the efforts of Sen. Minority Leader Everett Dirksen of Illinois, who convinced enough Republicans to support the bill over Democratic opposition," said the National Archives. 

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The Senate finally voted on the bill on June 19, 1964 — and it passed by a vote of 73 to 27. 

The new compromise bill was sent to the House of Representatives, where it, too, was passed. 

Johnson signed the bill surrounded by notable civil rights leaders, including Martin Luther King Jr.

The Birmingham Stallions took home their second consecutive USFL title on Saturday night.

Birmingham took down the Pittsburgh Maulers, 28-12, in Canton, Ohio.

The Stallions defense held the Maulers to just three field goals while they scored two touchdowns themselves, taking a 14-9 lead into the locker room at halftime.

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With the lead, Birmingham got the ball first to begin the second half, and Alex McGough picked up right where he left off from the first 30 minutes. After Ricky Person gained 41 yards on four carries, McGough found Deon Cain in the end zone, who tip-toed his way to a score, and the ensuing PAT gave the Stallions a 21-9 lead.

Chris Blewitt knocked down his fourth field goal to bring Pittsburgh back to within nine, but the Stallions continued to go right down the field. However, on 3rd and goal trying to evade pressure, McGough fumbled the ball, and it was picked up by Pittsburgh’s Olive Sagapolu. Knowing he probably was too slow to make it to the end zone, he gave the ball to Kyahva Tezino who found the end zone. However, the referees ruled it an illegal handoff, so Pittsburgh got the ball at the Birmingham 33 instead of scoring a touchdown. 

That penalty proved costly, though, as on that drive, the Maulers settled for a fifth field goal, but Blewitt went wide left, as the Stallions held on to their nine-point lead early in the fourth.

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The Maulers forced a punt but were unable to convert on 4th and 8 from their own 40, giving Birmingham the ball back with 7:29 to go, and they took advantage. On 2nd and 10, McGough launched a deep pass to Cain, who caught it in the end zone for the touchdown, and the Stallions were up 28-12.

After leading USFL with 20 passing touchdowns during the season, the league's MVP threw for four in this one. He completed 18 of his 25 passes for 243 yards and ran for another 64. Person and C.J. Marable combined to rush for another 86 yards on their 14 carries. Cain caught three of McGough's four scores, totaling four catches for 70 yards. Former NFL tight end Jace Sternberger caught three passes for 65 yards, while Davion Davis caught the other touchdown.

We don't have to wait long for football though, as NFL teams head to training camp later this month.