The term, "affirmative action" was first used in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy. He signed Executive Order 10925 that stated, "the contractor will take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and employees are treated during their employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin" Lyndon B. Johnson also felt that programs were needed to actively change discrimination. In 1954, the Brown decision (Brown v. Board of Education) required racial desegregation in schools and other public places. The Brown decision led to the enactment of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, soon supplemented by the 1965 Voting Rights Act and the 1968 Fair Housing Act. This was the beginning of public awareness to the racial discrimination issue.

Proponents of Affirmative Action claim education is an area where affirmative action programs are most needed. Many people claim America needs to ensure that we are producing the best students no matter what group they belong to. A better-educated society makes for a better country. In the case of California v. Bakke: Bakke, a white student, sued because he was denied admission to the University of California Medical School at Davis. Because Bakke had higher tests scores than some of the minorities that were admitted, Bakke brought a claim against the school. By relying on this fact alone, one would think that he should be admitted because of his higher scores. But one must try to understand why Bakke, a white student, was able to score higher than minorities. Our country prides itself on everyone being equal and having the same chance for advancement. What does equality mean? Is equality giving everyone the equal opportunity to take a standardized test? Does taking the same test really mean equality? Standardized tests do not show how smart a person is, nor does it show one's ability to learn. Many claim it only proves one is able to recall what he or she has been taught. If an African-American has never had the same opportunities as a white student it is unfair to judge him by a standardized test. In contrast to Thernstrom's ideas, many argue that blacks with lower test scores should be allowed into universities to get a chance at the courses offered. If they fail the classes they at least had that opportunity. Minorities are victims of sub par educational systems and do not score well on standardized test because they are usually not exposed to the material. Until standardized test takers are taught from the same curriculum, the results from these tests are meaningless. How can society expect someone to be tested on material he or she has never been exposed to and then judge that person according to their test results? This is not equality. Orlando Patterson-a Harvard sociology professor-recognizes this dilemma in America. He argues, "The problem is that right now there are still a fair number of very bright kids who meet all the admissions criteria except the test scores." The Presidents of Harvard, Princeton, Stanford and other major universities believe in Affirmative Action programs in education. These Presidents released a statement that said, "The nation's economic health depends on graduating minority students in much larger numbers." They feel it is important for minorities to get the best education they can and the country's economy depends on it. Affirmative Action can play an important role in preserving our nations economy.

Many blacks today still feel the effects of racial discrimination. Henry Gates Jr., a black Harvard professor of the Humanities, reveals in his article "Two Nations... Both Black," how racial discrimination still plays a part in society: "We [blacks] are still humiliatingly vulnerable to racism, in the form of random police harassment, individual racial insults from waitresses and attendants in stores, the unwillingness of taxi drivers to pick us up, systematic discrimination by banks and bank loan officer

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Approximate Word count = 2880
Approximate Pages = 12 (250 words per page double spaced)