It was only after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968, and the ensuing riots, that Congress finally passed the bill.

Johnson, who was one of the Act’s strongest supporters, called the new law one of the "promises of a century... it proclaims that fair housing for all—all human beings who live in this country—is now a part of the American way of life."

Congress changed the Fair Housing Act to include protection for persons with disabilities and prohibit discrimination based on familial status.

The amendment strengthened the enforcement provisions by allowing the aggrieved parties to seek remedy for their cases before a HUD Administrative Law Judge or in federal court.

One of the main functions of FHEO is to provide an administrative complaint process that is available free of charge to any person who believes they have faced housing discrimination because of their race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability to voice their concerns.

Every April, state and local governments as well as non-profit organizations hold events and conduct activities to celebrate Fair Housing Month.

[3] Also in 2002, an eighteen-unit apartment complex in Caldwell, Idaho was retrofitted to make it accessible to persons with disabilities and the payment of an additional $48,000 in damages and penalties.