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Michigan Department of Civil Rights

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Michigan Department of Civil Rights

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About MDCR

The Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR) has one of the most important roles in state government – so important that the Michigan Civil Rights Commission (MCRC) is enshrined in the Michigan Constitution: to investigate alleged discrimination and to secure the equal protection of civil rights. In 1964, Michigan became the first state in the nation to include civil rights protections in its constitution. Article 5, Section 29 calls on the Michigan Civil Rights Commission to “...investigate alleged discrimination against any person because of race, religion, color or national origin in the enjoyment of the civil rights guaranteed by law…” MDCR was created in 1965 to carry out the work of the Commission. Passage of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act and the Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act in 1976 further clarified the specific protections guaranteed under Michigan law.

View the 2022 Annual Report

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Latest News

2023 Logo for the Civil Rights Summit. Like trees, problems have roots.

Civil Rights Summit 2023

Date: June 27, 2023

Venue: Suburban Collection Showplace, Novi, MI

Time: 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM

Theme: The Impact of Discrimination on Health

Register for the 2023 Civil Rights Summit!

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Past Editions

May 2023
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March 2023

 

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COVID Notice

During the COVID-19 outbreak, MDCR offices are open by appointment only. 

You may file a complaint of discrimination using the online complaint form, call 1-800-482-3604, or email MDCRServiceCenter@michigan.gov.

Contact MDCR
Pursuant to section 238 of PA 166 of 2022, the Michigan Department of Civil Rights posts this notice that it has adopted a hybrid policy that includes in-person, remote, and alternative work arrangements. The department or agency has the authority to assign and schedule its employees and determine their work location.  This policy also provides for work options contingent upon the operational needs of the department or agency.  Approval is at the discretion of the department or agency and can be changed or rescinded based upon operational needs.  The policy includes which positions may qualify for a work option, how to request one and the requirements necessary for approval.

K-12 Reading and Literacy Programs and Resources

The Michigan Department of Civil Rights has compiled a list of reading and literacy programs and resources available for K-12 students, parents and educators throughout Michigan. We will update the list as information on additional resources becomes available.

Click here for list of resources

Protect Your Rights - MDCR Is Here To Help

The Michigan Department of Civil Rights is committed to combatting anti-Asian discrimination. The brochure, Protecting Your Rights - MDCR Is Here To Help, is available in the following Asian languages:

We collectively acknowledge that Michigan’s state government, specifically the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary Lands of the Anishinaabek – the Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi peoples. In particular, the Lansing office sits on land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw. We recognize, support, and advocate for the sovereignty of the twelve federally-recognized Tribal nations who share geography with Michigan, for those Indigenous peoples who were forcibly removed from their homelands, for Indigenous individuals and Tribal communities who live here now, and for the next seven generations.

By offering this Land Acknowledgement, we affirm Indigenous sovereignty and affirm our agency’s commitment to upholding government to government relationships and collaborating with Native nations.