Affirmative Action And The Civil Rights Act - 2055 Words

Affirmative Action was first enacted in the United States in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, with the passage of the Civil Rights Act. It was intended to make hiring and university admittance practices fair, and it also required them to be made without regard to race, religion, and national origin. The law was intended for all groups to have an equal opportunity for employment and higher education, and it required that affirmative action be taken to ensure certain groups were employed or admitted. Gender was later added to the list of factors that could not be used to discriminate against a person. Affirmative Action was needed in America at the time because of the country’s history of discrimination against certain groups, particularly African Americans. Until the 1860’s slavery was legal in the United States and, even after it was abolished, African Americans continued to be discriminated against by â€Å"Jim Crow† laws, which segregated almost every aspect of life according to race. For example, in Montgomery, Alabama black residents had to sit in the back of municipal buses and a white person would never have to stand on a Montgomery bus even if it was crowded. As more white people boarded a bus, the â€Å"white section† increased, decreasing the number of seats available to blacks. Also, in many southern states in particular, laws were passed that required the separation of whites and blacks in public. â€Å"The segregation principle was extended to parks, cemeteries, theatres,Show MoreRelatedAffirmative Action And The Civil Rights Act973 Words   |  4 Pagesunfortunate minorities. Among these government actions are the 14th Amendment, Equal Pay Act, and the Civil Rights Acts. John F. Kennedy perhaps creat ed one of the most heavily debated policies today, his Affirmative Action Policy. Affirmative action is defined as, â€Å"the practice of improving the educational and job opportunities of members of groups that have not been treated fairly in the past because of their race, sex, etc.† (â€Å"Definition of AFFIRMATIVE† 1). The definition itself is vague and openRead MoreCivil Liberties and Civil Rights722 Words   |  3 PagesCivil Liberties and Civil Rights The expansion and development on specific civil liberties and rights since the birth of America can be seen as one of the biggest evolutions in the Constitution. The original Constitution and Bill of Rights did not convey anything about equality aside from that all Americans are entitled to due process in court. The word â€Å"equality† for instance does not even appear in the Constitution. Thus the topic of equality and civil rights is a grey area that is not clearlyRead MoreEssay on Affirmative Action is Reverse Discrimination1010 Words   |  5 PagesAffirmative Action is Reverse Discrimination    When the Civil Rights Bill was being debated on the floor of the Senate, Barry Goldwater predicted that this particular bill might be abused. Herbert Humphrey, however, stated that he would eat every page of the bill if ever it were used to justify discrimination against anybody on account of race or sex. The bill eventually passed and became the Civil Rights Act. From college admissions to government contracts, the Civil Rights Act has been grosslyRead MoreThe Study of Affirmative Action Essay1400 Words   |  6 PagesStudy of the Supreme Court Cases Regarding Affirmative Action The history of majority rights in the United States goes all the way back to the creation of the United States constitution. Although barely acknowledged at the time, it has become the contemporary issue of the United States starting with the Civil War. To this day civil rights are still being fought for and discrimination still occurs all over the United States; however, affirmative action is one of the main victories minorities haveRead MoreDifferences Between Equal Employment Opportunity Initiatives, Affirmative Action Initiatives and Diversity Initiatives in Organizations1120 Words   |  5 Pages(Wisconsin Work Force Planning) Differences between Equal Employment Opportunity initiatives, Affirmative Action initiatives and Diversity initiatives in organizations Tim Piper Issues in Human Resources Management – MBA 910 February 14, 2012 To best understand how affirmative action (AA), equal employment opportunity (EEO) and diversity work together, I will take a look at each of them and how they interact with each other and also explore the differences of the three initiatives . FirstRead MoreAffirmative Action Essay968 Words   |  4 Pagesopportunities given the high frequency of affirmative action programs; they attempt to increase the representation of minorities on college campuses and in the office, regardless of virtue. Programs of affirmative action arouse controversy because some groups view affirmative action as a catalyst for reverse discrimination whilst other groups support affirmative action as a way to diversify society and compensate for past exclusions. Affirmative action describes the â€Å"positive steps taken to increaseRead MoreDiscriminatory Practices And Natural Inequalities Essay1497 Words   |  6 Pagesbreak this trend, it was deemed necessary to try what is referred to as â€Å"Affirmative Action† The term â€Å"Affirmative Action† was first coined in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy in attempts to address the racial injustices persisting in society despite every man’s rights were â€Å"guaranteed† through the Constitution (Brunner and Rowen). A couple years later, President Kennedy gave a speech in June of 1963, proposing the Civil Rights Act to its prospectors (Desmond and Emirbayer). In the speech, KennedyRead MoreRace and The Affirmative Action Policies1244 Words   |  5 PagesThe utilization of race in affirmative action policies in higher education has been a topic of contention for several decades now. Since the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, we have seen some of the most heated debates over the fairness of affirmative action and the impacts on society the utilization of race creates. With such pending questions on fairness and of the constitutionality of affirmative action policies two major Supreme Court cases have arisen, Universi ty of California RegentsRead MoreAffirmative Action : Discrimination And Discrimination Essay1143 Words   |  5 PagesWHAT IS AFFIRMATIVE ACTION Affirmative action can be described as positive discrimination. It is an action or policy favoring those who tend to suffer from discrimination, especially in relation to employment or education. Affirmative action means taking positive steps to end discrimination, to prevent its recurrence, and to creative new opportunities that were previously denied minorities and women. Affirmative action itself has been defined as any measure, beyond simple termination of a discriminatoryRead MoreThe Issue of Affirmative Action Essay816 Words   |  4 PagesIssue of Affirmative Action A major controversy encompassing the country is the issue of affirmative action. Many believe that the abolition, or at least restructure, of affirmative action in the United States will benefit the nation for many logical reasons. Originally, affirmative action began as an attempt to eliminate discrimination and provide a source of opportunity; affirmative action did not begin as an attempt to support just minorities and women. In addition, affirmative action naturally