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.
Jamestown is a city in Chautauqua County, New York in the United States. The population was 31,730 at the 2000 census. The City of Jamestown is adjacent to Town of Ellicott and is at the southern tip of Chautauqua Lake. The town of Chautauqua, home of the Chautauqua Institution, is 17 miles (27 km) northwest of Jamestown. The city has been a center for the manufacture of wood products such as furniture as well as a major producer of mattresses. The town was once called the "Furniture Capital of the World. " Although many of these industries have migrated away from the area in recent times, Jamestown still retains a few large manufacturing plants for various multinational corporations. The city has a large concentration of citizens of Swedish and Italian ancestry. Jamestown is noted as the birthplace of actress and comedienne Lucille Ball, as well as the fictitious childhood hometown of Lucy Ricardo, her character on the popular U.S. television sitcom I Love Lucy.