The Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1988 was an important piece of legislation in Black history aimed at overturning the Supreme Court's decision in the case of Grove City College v. Bell. This decision had severely limited the scope of Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibited discrimination on the basis of sex in educational institutions receiving federal funding.

The Civil Rights Restoration Act broadened the coverage of Title IX and other civil rights laws by clarifying that the prohibition against discrimination applied to all programs and activities of an institution that receives federal financial assistance, not just those directly receiving federal funds. This meant that if any part of an institution received federal funding, the entire institution had to comply with anti-discrimination laws.

The passage of the Civil Rights Restoration Act was a significant victory for civil rights advocates, as it ensured that discrimination on the basis of sex, race, national origin, disability, or age was prohibited in all aspects of federally funded institutions. This legislation helped to protect the rights of marginalized communities, including Black individuals, and paved the way for greater equality and access to opportunities in education and beyond.