Hard to believe it was only forty years until 1965.
Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965
Excerpts from LBJ Library:
"On Oct. 3, 1965, at the base of the Statue of Liberty and with the island of Manhattan gleaming in the background, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Immigration and Nationality Act, also known as the Hart-Celler Act.
"In the previous 40 years before the act was signed, those who wanted to come to America were subject to a quota system. Immigration law favored immigrants from northern Europe and the British Isles, discriminated against those from southern and eastern Europe, and barred those from Asia and non-whites from entering the country.
"The Immigration and Nationality Act abolished quotas, opening the doors to "those who can contribute most to this country - to its growth, to its strength, to its spirit." The new law created a preference system that focused on immigrant skills and family relations with citizens or U.S. residents.
"President John F. Kennedy, whose Irish ancestors had faced prejudice, wanted immigration reform. As president, Johnson turned to Kennedy's brother, Ted, to help steer the bill through Congress."