To begin the activity, have students read the Student Context and briefly discuss as a whole class. Then have students begin to create a timeline with 1961 as the starting year and 2023 as the ending year. 

Students should include any other relevant dates from the student content. 

Then, to build content knowledge and vocabulary, instruct students to work in groups of 3 to create a timeline of other key events in the history of affirmative action policies. Timelines can be made on poster or electronically using a graphic design software or slideshow program. Assign each group one or more key events to research further (teacher may select or identify additional events to incorporate). 

  • Civil Rights Act (1964)- Signed into law. Established the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
  • Executive Order 11246 (1965)- Issued by President Lyndon B. Johnson, this executive order required federal contractors to take affirmative action to ensure equal opportunity employment. It prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in hiring and employment practices. Established the Office of Federal Contract Compliance (OFCC) in the Department of Labor to administer the order.
  • Executive Order 11246 Amendment (1967)- President Johnson amended E.O. 11246 to include affirmative action for women.
  • Philadelphia Plan (1969)- First significant federal affirmative action program aimed to increase the participation of minority contractors in construction projects funded by federal dollars.
  • Rehabilitation Act (1973)- President Richard M. Nixon requires agencies to submit an affirmative action plan to the EEOC for the hiring, placement, and advancement of individuals with disabilities.     
  • American with Disabilities Act (1990) 
  • California’s Proposition 209 (1996) passed abolishing all public-sector affirmative action programs in the state in employment, education and contracting;  Clause (C) of Prop. 209 permits gender discrimination 
  • Equal Opportunity Survey (2000) – US Department of Labor survey, which requires federal contractors to report hiring, termination, promotions and compensation data by minority status and gender. 
  • Grutter v. Bollinger (2003)- Supreme Court upheld the University of Michigan Law School’s affirmative action admissions policy, ruling that race could be considered as a factor in admissions decisions to achieve a diverse student body.
  • Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin (June 24, 2013): Supreme Court reaffirmed the principles of diversity as a compelling interest in higher education and held that universities may consider race as one factor among many in admissions decisions.

For each event, students should list the date, a visual aid, and a brief explanation of what happened. At the conclusion of building the timelines, have students share out to the full class. Key events that are learned should be added to timelines during presentations. 

As a whole class, end the activity by holding a discussion with the following questions:

  • What’s your most important takeaway from looking at these events?
  • Which government actors (Congress, the President, the courts, state legislatures, etc.) were most important in developing affirmative action policies? Why might that be?
  • Did affirmative action become more or less popular over time? Why might that be?
  • What information do you still need in order to evaluate if affirmative action policies have been successful? To determine if they are equitable?

Affirmative Action Timeline