During the 1950s and 1960s, African Americans faced widespread discrimination in many aspects of life, including in public transportation. The government took steps to protect minority voting rights and access to employment through acts and court rulings that desegregated buses and banned discrimination in voting and hiring. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 were particularly impactful in establishing protections and enforcing equal rights for African Americans and other minorities.