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.
Tunkhannock is a borough in Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, 31 miles (50 km) northwest of Wilkes-Barre. In the past, lumbering was carried on extensively. The chief industry was tanning and there were spool and tub factories, furnaces and machine shops, stave and planing mills, and witch hazel distilleries. Today, many residents are employed by the Procter & Gamble plant nearby. In 1900, 1,305 people lived here, and in 1910, 1,598 people lived here. As of the 2000 census, the borough population was 1,911. It is the county seat of Wyoming County. The Tunkhannock Historic District, bounded by Tioga, Pine, and Harrison Sts and Wyoming Ave, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in August, 2005. English translations of the Native American Tunkhannock vary, including "meeting of the waters," "small stream," "wilderness stream," and "full of timber. " Tunkhannock is home to the Wyoming County Historical Society and Genealogical Library. The library offers a major source of research material to the public. The collection includes numerous books on New England ancestry, newspapers dating back to 1797 and census records for Wyoming and surrounding counties from 1790 to 1930. Also on file are records for over 90 area cemeteries as well as various other information about local history.