Affirmative Action

One of the most controversial political issues of the past three decades has been the question of affirmative action. The phrase was first used in 1965 when President Lyndon B. Johnson issued Executive Order 11246, which called upon government-funded contractors to "take affirmative action" to ensure that applicants were employed without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin. Affirmative action is still an important and emotionally charged political issue in society today. Affirmat