Information on civil rights act 1964 please?

hi i am doing a reading project on the book the secret life of bees. the setting of this novel is south carolina 1964. i have to do research on the society and study what was the cause of the persecution of the group that is being repressed- discrimination against colored peoples. and basically talk about how life was like being african american. can someone please help me? PLEASE DO NOT SAY SEARCH ON GOOGLE OR THINGS OF THAT SORT. thanks