Race Relations Act 1976
Jacob Adshead
194ISS: Race and Racism in Britain. Coursework one
The Race Relations Act 1976 and its impact on Race and Racism in Britain
When studying Race and Racism in Britain the pivotal turning point of race relations is the passing of the Race Relations Act on the 22nd of November 1976. The Race Relations Act made discrimination unlawful on the grounds of race, colour, nationality and ethnicity. For me this point in history, equality of race is formally dealt with, as it is the first law introduced to ensure that racial and ethnic discrimination is forbidden in Britain.
The Race Relations Act made it unlawful to discriminate against a person on racial grounds in employment, education and in the provision of goods and services. This act was only the start of eliminating racial discrimination; however it was the foundation of it all and is the reason behind such improvement in equality today. The 1976 Act was amended, not replaced, by the Race Relations Amendment Act introduced in 2000. After the 1976 Act was presented, racial discrimination did not automatically vanish, however it made it clear to the vast majority of people within Britain that discrimination has no place in society and that changes had to be made.
Making discrimination unlawful within employment coincides with the Sex Discrimination Act of 1975, where by it was illegal to discriminate women in the workplace, such as, selection for a job, training, promotion, work practices or dismissal, with the only difference being based on racial terms rather than gender. This brought equality in the workplace and introduced more rights to ethnic minority groups.
The Act also makes it unlawful for public bodies to discriminate while carrying out any of their duties. Public bodies are obliged to make sure their employment procedures and service delivery do not have a disproportionate impact on particular ethnic or national groups.
The Act, based upon education, forbids the discrimination of
194ISS: Race and Racism in Britain. Coursework one
The Race Relations Act 1976 and its impact on Race and Racism in Britain
When studying Race and Racism in Britain the pivotal turning point of race relations is the passing of the Race Relations Act on the 22nd of November 1976. The Race Relations Act made discrimination unlawful on the grounds of race, colour, nationality and ethnicity. For me this point in history, equality of race is formally dealt with, as it is the first law introduced to ensure that racial and ethnic discrimination is forbidden in Britain.
The Race Relations Act made it unlawful to discriminate against a person on racial grounds in employment, education and in the provision of goods and services. This act was only the start of eliminating racial discrimination; however it was the foundation of it all and is the reason behind such improvement in equality today. The 1976 Act was amended, not replaced, by the Race Relations Amendment Act introduced in 2000. After the 1976 Act was presented, racial discrimination did not automatically vanish, however it made it clear to the vast majority of people within Britain that discrimination has no place in society and that changes had to be made.
Making discrimination unlawful within employment coincides with the Sex Discrimination Act of 1975, where by it was illegal to discriminate women in the workplace, such as, selection for a job, training, promotion, work practices or dismissal, with the only difference being based on racial terms rather than gender. This brought equality in the workplace and introduced more rights to ethnic minority groups.
The Act also makes it unlawful for public bodies to discriminate while carrying out any of their duties. Public bodies are obliged to make sure their employment procedures and service delivery do not have a disproportionate impact on particular ethnic or national groups.
The Act, based upon education, forbids the discrimination of