A civil right is an enforceable right or privilege, which if interfered with by another gives rise to an action for injury. Examples of civil rights are freedom of speech, press, and assembly; the right to vote; freedom from involuntary servitude; and the right to equality in public places. Discrimination occurs when the civil rights of an individual are denied or interfered with because of their membership in a particular group or class. Statutes have been enacted to prevent discrimination based on race, sex, religion, age, previous condition of servitude, physical limitation, national origin, and in some instances sexual preference. Civil rights attorneys handle cases involving the rights of individuals to be free from unequal treatment (or discrimination) based on legally-protected characteristics such as race, gender, disability, national origin, age, sexual orientation, and religion. Civil rights cases can arise in a number of settings -- including employment, housing, lending, and education.
Galesburg is a city in Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,988 at the 2000 census. Galesburg is on the north side of the Kalamazoo River on the boundary between Comstock Charter Township on the west and Charleston Township on the east, but is politically independent of both. The city is situated on M-96 and is just north of I-94 (with exits due south of the city's west side and about one mile to the east). Kalamazoo is about ten miles to the west and Battle Creek is about ten miles to the east. For statistical purposes, the Census Bureau has defined Greater Galesburg as a census-designated place consisting of the urbanized area outside the city's municipal boundaries.