75th Anniversary of the Law Against Discrimination
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On April 16, 1945, Governor Walter E. Edge signed a bill sponsored by Dr. James O. Hill, enacting the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination and creating the Division Against Discrimination (now known as the Division on Civil Rights). All members of the New Jersey Legislature joined together unanimously to pass the historic Law. Dr. Hill, who served as State Assemblyman for Newark, drafted the law to prevent employment discrimination on account of race, creed, color, national origin or ancestry. The Division Against Discrimination was originally placed within the Department of Education.