The New York State Division of Human Rights and the New York State Office of General Services has announced the opening of an exhibit in the State Capitol to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the New York State Human Rights Law. The exhibit, entitled “Civil Rights for All: The New York State Human Rights Law Turns 80,” explores pivotal moments that have positioned New York State at the forefront of protecting individuals from discrimination under what has become one of the most comprehensive human rights laws in the country. The exhibit can be viewed on the second floor of the State Capitol in the Governor’s Reception Room. Admission is free and will remain open to the public from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays through September 1st.
“Civil Rights for All: The New York State Human Rights Law Turns 80” traces the history of New York State’s trailblazing and nation-leading protections of human rights. The exhibit highlights key milestones of New York’s progress in expanding human rights protections, beginning with the groundbreaking legislation in 1945 that made New York the first state to enact an anti-discrimination law and continuing up to the present day.
Some of these landmark moments include the 1950s expansion of the law to prohibit discrimination in housing and places open to the public, like hotels, restaurants, movie theaters, and hospitals; the 1974 expansion of the law to prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities—nearly two decades ahead of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act; the 1980s handling some of the nation’s earliest cases of discrimination against people diagnosed with AIDS; the 2003 expansion of the law making it illegal to discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation; the 2019 strengthening of workplace sexual harassment protections; and the 2023 expansion of the law increasing the statute of limitations for all discrimination claims from one year to three years.
Marking the 80th anniversary of the New York State Human Rights Law and the creation of the Division of Human Rights, the exhibit also highlights the Division’s instrumental role in enforcing these protections. The Division’s role has been significantly strengthened by Governor Hochul’s historic investments in the Division, doubling the agency’s budget and enabling the Division to expand its staff and improve every aspect of its operations and services.
“Since 1945, we’ve defended every New Yorker’s right to belong. As the nation’s first state agency dedicated to the protection and furtherance of human rights, we’ve set the standard for fairness and equity, from workplaces to homes and communities. And today, we continue to uphold our commitment of creating a New York where everyone feels at home,” New York State Division of Human Rights Commissioner Denise M. Miranda, Esq. said. “I encourage everyone to visit the State Capitol this summer to celebrate the people and milestones that shaped the oldest statewide anti-discrimination law in the country, and one of the most expansive sets of civil rights protections anywhere in the United States.”
New York State Office of General Services Commissioner Jeanette Moy said, “New York State is home to many of our nation’s firsts, and enacting the Human Rights Law that laid the groundwork for future civil rights protections is one of them. Team OGS is proud to join forces with DHR in marking this critical moment of our state’s history by co-developing the ‘Civil Rights for All: The New York State Human Rights Law Turns 80’ exhibition. I invite everyone to stop at the New York State Capitol to visit this exhibit. There is no better way to celebrate the 80th anniversary than by learning about our state’s Human Rights Law and the individuals and events leading to the Law’s expansion.”
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