Civil Rights Act of 1964 Rally outside of Caldwell Hall. (Image: Special Collections, Mullen Libraries, The Catholic University of America)

During the Congressional debate over civil rights legislation in 1964, members of the University community were compelled to involve themselves in related campus activities. Such activities included civil rights-themed religious services, the distribution of civil rights literature on campus, and student participation in rallies, such as those held by the D.C. Students for Civil Rights in downtown Washington, D.C. Caldwell Hall was the location of various civil rights-related activities.