Under the New Deal, FDR introduced the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1933 to provide work for the unemployed. The CCC banned racial discrimination.
In 1955, Eisenhower passed an Executive Order stating the principle of equality in federalemployment.
Johnson’s Executive Order in 1965 called for affirmative action to end under-representation of racial minorities in workplace. Discrimination was barred in all federal employment.
Nixon’s Executive Order required all employers with federal contracts to draft affirmative action policies to actively promote AA.
President Nixon took up positive discrimination in his Philadelphia Plan, backed by Congress and the SC.
Reagan’s reduction to welfare benefits fell disproportionately on the AA population.
The CCC employed 200,000 young AA from 1933 to 1942, teaching them valuable technical skills.