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.
Clarksville is a town founded in Mecklenburg County and overlapping across Halifax County in the U.S. state of Virginia, near the southern border of the state. The population was 1,329 at the 2000 census. Since the town has numerous buildings of the 18th, 19th, and early 20th century architecture, the downtown area of Clarksville has been designated an Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places and Virginia's Historic Register. The town is located on Kerr Lake, which is also known as Buggs Island Lake. The 50,000-acre (202 km) lake is popular for boating and fishing; especially for catfish and many varieties of freshwater bass including largemouth bass, striped bass and crappie. The Virginia Lake Festival is held annually at Clarksville during the third weekend of July. The town often attracts approximately 80,000 visitors during this three-day event, formerly and colloquially known as "Lakefest". It culminates with a fireworks show on the lake. The festival has been named among the "Top Twenty Festivals In The Southeast" by the Southeast Tourism Society for many years.