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Agency History

Indiana has a long history of protecting civil rights.

The Indiana Civil Rights Commission has played a key role in advancing civil rights protections across the state for decades. From early legislation to modern enforcement, Indiana’s civil rights laws have evolved to expand protections and ensure equal opportunity for all Hoosiers.

This timeline highlights major milestones in the development of civil rights protections in Indiana and the growth of the Commission’s authority over time.

Early Civil Rights Protections

  • 1885: Indiana passed its first public accommodations law. It guaranteed everyone equal access to places like restaurants, shops, barber shops, public transportation, and entertainment venues.
  • 1945: The General Assembly created the Fair Employment Practices Committee, housed in the Indiana Department of Labor, to help eliminate discrimination in employment based on race, creed, color, national origin, or ancestry.
  • 1949: The Indiana School Desegregation Law was enacted to prohibit racial segregation in public schools.

Building Enforcement Power

  • 1961: Indiana passed the Fair Employment Practices Act, creating the first Fair Employment Practices Commission. Its role was to identify and investigate discrimination complaints. While its authority was limited at first, it was the foundation of what would become the modern ICRC.
  • 1963: The Commission was renamed the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, gaining stronger enforcement authority in employment, education, public accommodations, and housing.

Modern Civil Rights Era

  • 1965: Indiana updated its Civil Rights Law to ban discrimination in housing, employment, public accommodations, and education on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, and ancestry—three years before the federal Fair Housing Act.
  • 1971: Protections were expanded to include discrimination based on sex.
  • 1974: The state strengthened its housing protections and created the role of the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) to hear administrative cases.
  • 1975: The Commission received full authority to address discrimination based on disability—fifteen years before the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Additional State Protections

  • 1991: Indiana passed the Indiana Fair Housing Act, aligning state law with federal housing protections enforced by HUD.
  • 1992: Indiana passed the Hoosiers with Disabilities Act, providing protections substantially equal to the ADA.
  • 2013: The legislature added protections for veterans in certain circumstances.

Indiana Civil Rights Timeline

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1800s

1810s

1816

Indiana's First Constitution

"WE declare, That all men are born equally free and independent and have certain natural, inherent, and unalienable rights..."

1820s - 1880s

1885

Indiana Enacts Public Accommodation Law

Ensured equal access to public spaces like restaurants and theaters.

1890

1900s

1910s - 1930s

1940s

1945

Indiana Fair Employment
& Law Act

Empowered the Division of Labor to: “Remov[e] discrimination with respect to employment because of race, creed, color, national origin, or ancestry.”

1950s

1960s

1961

Fair Employment
Practices Act

Created the Fair Employment Practices Commission, and gave it power to "receive and initiate and investigate the charges of discriminatory practices."
1963

Commission renamed to Indiana Civil Rights Commission

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The General Assembly renames the commission and grants enforcement powers in the areas of employment, education, and public accommodation.
1965

Housing Discrimination
added

Indiana Civil Rights Law was amended to prohibit discrimination in housing, both rental and sale, on the basis of race.
1968

Civil Rights Act of 1968
🎇 FEDERAL Level 🎇

Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968,aka "the Fair Housing Act"

1970s

1971

Basis of Sex
added

1974
  • Credit Discrimination added
  • Administrative Law Judge is appointed for hearings.
Substantially equivalent to Title VIII, which is enforced by the United States Department of Housing & Urban Development.
1975

ICRC Enforcement Area
Expanded to include Disability

The General Assembly expanded the Indiana Civil Rights Commission (ICRC) enforcement areas to include disability.

1980s

1990s

1991

ICRC Enforcement Area
Expanded to include Disability

The General Assembly expanded the Indiana Civil Rights Commission (ICRC) enforcement areas to include disability.
1992

Hoosiers with Disabilities Act

The General Assembly passed a law providing substantially equivalent protection as federal law in the area of employment
of people with disabilities.

2000s

2010s

2014

Veteran Status
added

House Enrolled Act 1242, which provides protection for veterans facing employment discrimination, became state law July 1, 2014.
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