Affirmative action is one of the most tangible legacies from the Civil Rights Movement. It represents a wide array of programs implemented in both the public and private sectors. These programs are designed to help level the playing fields by providing minorities and women equal opportunity and access to education, jobs, promotions, and business contracts. Affirmative action does not take opportunity away from one group and give it to another. Affirmative action allows groups that have historically been discriminated against, by formal and informal practices, to be given affirmative consideration.
Programs vary widely.
Some programs set goals and objectives for the recruitment of minorities. Others encourage employers to advertise opportunities in media that minorities are most likely to read, listen to, or watch. Most essentially, affirmative action is a democratic principle that holds that the inclusion of people of color and women into the mainstream of American society is a positive social value and fundamental principle of fairness. This contributes to better decision-making and ensures that more interests are represented. Over the past three decades, minorities and women have made important strides in business and education since three decades ago, largely because of affirmative action programs.